Life After The Fall - An Alt-timeline Fan Fiction
by Lewis Stockton
Summary: Annie Leonhart, newest member of the Military Police is assigned to Matias Katzenbach's squad. However he is not the laid back sort of guy the rest of the Military Police seem to be. Cracking down on his squads attitude, he tries to get the best out of Annie. This is a Roleplay converted into a Fan Fiction. It was myself as Annie and a former friend as Matias (Name changed)
1. Chapter 1 - Induction

**~ Induction ~**

The 104th Graduation ceremony was over and done with, after the mess that was Trost, Annie was finally on her way to the barracks to report in for the Military Police assignment. Now she was in with the Military Police she could search for the prize.

Walking in through the capital, she had arrived here today and was carrying her duffel bag over her shoulder with one hand and made her way up to the barracks. Knocking on the door of the commander, she and the other new members were brought in and spoken to by the commander of the local regiment. She was told to report to someone for assignment and she watched the other Military Police leave for their assignments.

Walking up to an office, she knocked on the door and walked in. "Hello. I am Annie, I'm new in the Military Police, 104th training division. I've been told to report this room, and this squad" she explained to whoever was there to meet her.

Annie Leonhart. Sixteen going on seventeen years old with a height of 153cm and weight of 53kg. A graduate from the 104th training corps and ranked fourth among her class. In all she's someone that could've joined any prefecture in and outside the walls whether it be the survey corps or the highest grade in the military police. Yet. She's chosen to come into one of the lowest ranks possible in the police for reasons that don't match up with her personality and squander her skill.

"It doesn't make sense!" The leader of a normal squad in the military police and now Annie Leonhart thinks with a chew on the pad of his thumb. His black hair slicked back to a presentable degree and green eyes staring at the file given to him by her trainer. He had been expecting a recruit considering the season, but someone this skilled? It was ridiculous. Sure, her apathetic and loner attitude made enough sense with this branch considering all anyone did was drink, gamble, or have sex with anyone willing to give; a practice that even this leader's squad has fallen into.

"Everyone's probably in the barracks at this time..." The man seated at his desk sighs out as his eyes turn to the clock sitting on his desk and the emptiness of his room. The room unlike most in his position filled with little bits of personality that include the blinds moved away from the window and letters of goodwill stuck to the wall. Though this pales in comparison to the desk that's littered with stacks of papers from various dates, a personal clock atop todays paper, and various love letters he looks at next. His brows furrow at the sight of them and his foot trails the waist-basket underneath his chair as his hand slowly moves the small collection into the trash.

Knock Knock.

As the papers are filtered into the trash can, the door is knocked upon and Annie Leonhart enters without even waiting for her superior to give the A-OK. Said superior bolts upright in an instant, one hand crushing the last love letter in hand before tossing it into the garbage. His hands then slowly and carefully move the stacks of paper aside until the middle of the desk is clear and the two are able to properly see one another. His green eyes meeting her blue and his calm expression meeting the more sullen one she returns to him. Taking in the details of her face, the superior raises an eyebrow with a silent muse about the maturity of her expression that contrasts with the youth shown in her features and body.

"Annie Leonhart you mean. You introduce yourself to your superior with the last name included." The man in the standard military uniform lightly chastises with a smile as he gestures to the leather seat across his desk; voice smooth with a relaxed air to it.

When she was spoken to by the soldier, she shrugged apathetically when he he told her to use her full name instead when talking to her superior.

"Please take a seat." Once the blonde has taken a seat, the superior folds his hands in front of him and sits up a little straighter. "Welcome to the military police. I'm Matias Katzenbach and your superior officer. Though please just call me, Matias. I'm not one much for formalities, although I do have a question specifically for you, Annie."

His hands unfold and move the file with the information taken from her training to the middle of the desk; a finger pressing on the photo of the new recruit.

"Why did you join the military police? You must know that this place is a glorified hideout for slackers and other reprobates like the rest of this squad that blew this meeting off. Nobody does any work here and even though you're one to be a loner, you don't strike me as someone that wants to indulge in a hedonistic lifestyle. So tell me. Why did someone with so much skill and talent choose to come here?"

The smoothness in his voice isn't lost in his questions, but the relaxed nature is replaced with an authoritative one that matches the sharpness in his green eyes. This particular superior officer unlike most actually willing to do his job and act as a military superior would.

"Why did I join the Military Police?" she repeated and shrugged. "I joined because I really couldn't be arsed with the Survey Corps or the Garrison.. The survey corps are a bunch of idealistic idiots and the Garrison squad is a bunch of dropouts." she explained before shrugging again.

"I joined the Military Police because I'm better than a lot people and because I'm better, I'm now in a place where I can lay around, do what I want and all I have to do is spend time with a few rich big shots pretending to keep them secure when they are already safe and secure" she spoke honestly, she was lying of course, well, mostly lying. The REAL reason was she was looking for someone and something.. She had taken the Military Police position while the others took the Survey Corps, they'd check there.

"So why did I chose to be in the Military Police?" she repeated again. "because I can do what ever I want here..." she then paused before adding. "Sir..."

"Am I done here?" she finally questioned.

Despite the obvious lack of interest that Annie showed him, this military officer stayed attentive in listening to the answer that was given to him. Her opinion on the survey corps and the garrison weren't his own, but they were fair and understandable. When she began to go on about how she's better about others and that's what gave her the ability to laze around his attention was raised. It was a unique reason compared to most people in this place. Most were either the son or a relative of a big shot that allowed them to take it easy, or they were afraid of the titans. But here was Annie Leonhart. She wanted to do whatever she wanted because she deserved to? There was something more to that. That was the conclusion that the military superior came to as she reiterated the fact that she wanted to do whatever she wanted. His eyes came to a brief close as he leaned a little back in his seat, one hand running through his hair in what looked to be thought.

"I see. That's understandable, Annie." He said with a lean into his chair and a quiet smile that matched the renewed relaxation in his voice. "Unfortunately. You won't be doing whatever you want since you've been assigned to the only superior officer in this..." His hand moves up into the air and makes a small circular motion.

"…whole district that actually does his job. So with that said come on. We've got a patrol to do and some errands that I've been meaning to run." He shoves his hand into his desk and takes out a piece of paper that is quickly deposited into his chest pocket. After that he rises from his seat and gestures with a hand for Annie to follow him to the door. As his hand wraps around the knob, a sudden thought comes to mind and he turns to look at Annie with a point at her.

"By the way I'm relocating you from the barracks that you've been assigned to. So before the day is over we're going to grab your stuff." Even though his unit is among one of the oldest in power with three years in service, it's among the most useless in terms of achievement with any recognition coming from the things that he's done.

The two would make their way out with that and on their was pass by other new recruits making their way to their own superiors or leaving to do their own assignments. Two of them are Hitch Dreyse and Marlowe Freudenberg who Annie almost got assigned with. The only reason she was assigned to him is due to the pity that was given to him by his father that resides in the Garrison and his own request to get a new recruit after denying the appeal for the past year. He'd heard that their were some actual spirited individuals this time around in training and attempted to take the chance to get one of them to finally do what this job entailed him to do.

'Yet. Here I am again with someone that couldn't care less. Ugh. At least she's actually talented.' The man thought as the two stepped out of the military police building and into the sunlight brought by the sun that shined over the Stohess district.


	2. Chapter 2 - Streetwise

**~ Streetwise ~**

"Alright, Annie. Pop quiz time. Do you know where the poorest people are located in this district?" The superior office asked with a turn to Annie, the two now that their standing beside each other noticeably different in height; the officer standing at least a head taller then his subordinate.

Walking along with him, she put her hands in her pockets and continued to keep alongside him but a step behind, a respective distance for a superior and their subordinate as taught in training but she was obviously not caring that she looked like she didn't care.

"I dont know..dont really care, the poor can stay where they are supposed to.. " she replied to him as she shrugged, obviously not caring. She stood beside him and looked out around the people. "As long as they stay where they are supposed to, they won't get hurt"

"This girl was ranked fourth in her class...?" The officer silently questioned as she answered his question with as little interest as possible. He knew that her hand to hand combat and intelligence was impressive, but her attitude was quickly showing a disinterest in anything that wasn't centred around her own interest. Didn't that mean she would be useless in a team oriented assignment? Unless she could do it all by her lonesome. The superior kept his relaxed countenance as he came to such a conclusion and responded to her inquiry with shake of his head.

"Wrong. Minus ten-points." He began to walk with a grab of the note that'd been resting in his chest pocket. "The poor, whom are located in the centre of this district, are always getting hurt." His hand put the note back in his pocket as the two walked out of the front gate and made it onto the busy city streets that circulated the district. As the two walked through the district there wasn't much to see besides an occasional glance from some of the other military police officers going about their own business.

"Not a single superior officer is out huh? Not a big surprise." Glancing at Annie with the thought, the officer wondered if she even cared that she wasn't being treated like a makeshift slave.

'She probably doesn't care.' He thought as the two came across a market that spanned across the middle of a large open area.

"Maybe the officers are being as useless as every other member of the Military Police and are at home jerking it or looking out for themselves?" she asked as they left the gate and began to enter the Market.

It was interesting, ever since she'd made her way inside the walled nation, Annie had been taking in everything. How had these people managed to survive with the Titans outside, how and why had they even tried to survive; they should have been wiped out a long time ago and not left to root themselves into this island like an infestation.

That was the real reason she felt she was above everyone else, because she was... a human does not care what the flea feels when a boot lands on it.

Each section of the ground that could be covered had a stand that sold some type of food, the two police officers ended up in the direction of a fruit stand. A mother and a couple children stood in front of them, the older woman pointedly picking out multiple fruits in between stopping her children from wandering away. In between chastising another child she noticed the two officers and gave a panicked stare expecting some type of chastisement or punishment.

"No No. It's fine, please carry on." The head officer was quick to shut-down such thoughts and was glad to receive thanks as the mother carries on at the fruit stand until she was done, with a polite bow to the two patiently waiting officers.

Seeing the children and the woman at the Market, Annie kept her eyes on them, the mother should have left a couple of the children to die and had the strongest ones survive, they would be better off that way. Looking back at her new superior, she looked back and forth between the officer and the Market stall owner, Takeo, as they greeted and spoke to each other.

"Ah, Matias. I thought it was you." The vendor, an older man with a gruff exterior and a deep voice says with a cross of his muscular arms; his brown eyes meeting the green. A smile was given to him and an outstretching of a hand that was returned by the strong and hairy knuckled other.

"Afternoon, Takeo. Good to see business is going good. I'd like to take the usual and introduce you to my newest and probably last recruit, Annie Leonhart." Matias gestured to the other officer standing beside him with a movement of an arm. Takeo was quick to scrutinise her with a narrowing of his brown eyes and then looked back to Matias, staring at the different kinds of fruits presented to him with a hand on his chin.

"She looks disinterested."

"That's because she is. She joined to do what she wants, but unlike the rest of my squad is apparently talented."

"You have rotten luck with recruits, Matias."

"Tell me about it." The officer commented.

"She... can hear you, you know..." she commented blandly as they spoke about her and him having 'Rotten Luck' . And I think he's probably hit the best point in his career and is simply sailing through the days until he retires.." she commented about Matias so off handedly, it was almost shocking to realise that this was a court martial offence RIGHT on her first day.

She looked up at Matias and simply said in her disinterested tone "I thought we were speaking open minded seeing as you're talking about me as if I'm not here?" She asked in what would be sarcasm if she even bothered to show the emotional tones in her voice.

Matias had began to browse the selection of fruits for something to take with him. He almost began to point them out, but out of the corner of his eyes noticed through the crowd a single child running away in the opposite direction they stood with a wallet in hand. His hand going into his pocket and much to his relief found that his wallet was still connected to string in his right pocket as it always was.

He looked at Annie next and then thought about the reputation the two share as military police, his lips forming a frown as he pointed at Annie's pockets. "Annie. Do you still have your wallet on you?"

Looking at him when he mentioned her wallet, she pulled it out and nodded. "I got mine, but that kid stole his" she motioned to a rich looking guy, who only now noticed and began to yell out. He turned to the pair and yelled "Catch those brats, thats what you're supposed to do!"

Annie simply walked up to the market stall, grabbed an apple, weighed it in her hand, put it down and picked another, nodded then in a quick turn, she threw the apple in a ballistic arc.

Colliding with the young boys head, the apple actually smashed into mush as the boy fell face first into a stall. Walking over and taking the wallet back, she threw it at the owner and dragging the boy by his collar, she dropped him at the feet of Matias.

"Disinterest does not correlate to lack of skill... " she told the pair, Takeo looking shocked at the precision she'd shown but also looked at the boy who was clearly unconscious. 'Police brutality' could easily be the word of the act right now, but she'd apprehended him with the least amount of energy and chase.

"Looks like your luck ain't so rotten, Matias." Takeo muttered to the equally impressed Matias that watched the young boy actually collapse from the impact of a simple apple. Both watched in silence as the boy was brought over and dropped in front of the officer that, with a look at his face, actually recognised him. His brow raised as the identity came to him, but he didn't get a chance to say anything as the rich shopper was quick to step up to the scene and snatch his wallet from Annie.

"So it looks like a few of you can do you're jobs after all!" The blonde man looked to the kid with an expression contorted in anger that the officer was quick to notice. "This trash. How dare he even touch what belongs to me." Spitting in his general direction, the rich man turned a pair of blue eyes to the superior officer and jabbed at his chest with a finger. "What are you going to do with him?" Takeo noticeably took a step back the moment that question was asked and the people around the stall that'd been waiting in line slowly take a step back. Matias made a gesture with his hand for Takeo to load up his bag with the usual fruit as his other hand brushed away the finger that was reaching out to his chest.

"If you're insinuating that you want me to do anything other then take this child back home, then you've got another thing coming."

"Home?! This little vagrant doesn't deserve to be taken to whatever dirty hole it considers home! It deserv-

"Did this child do anything to harm you?" The rich man paused for a moment giving the officer time to end the conversation.

"No he didn't. He stole a wallet and got nothing out of it but an apple to the face. Justice has been done and you're free to go about your business." The rich man went quiet, but the glare he gave the officer that's shut him down told of his desire to continue the argument out of pure spite.

He ended up choosing the more logical option and storming away with a venomous glare, one that Matias paid little mind to as he picked up the unconscious child from the ground and put him underneath his armpit. His other hand moved out and grabbed onto the bag of fruit that was handed to him surprisingly for free by Takeo who watched the rich man go down the street.

Standing still as the man and her superior officer almost argued, Annie waited for them to finish talking, not really caring if the boy got anything going to him or not, she'd simply shown that she wasn't as useless as everyone else around here.

"What a prick." Takeo mumbled quietly.

"Yep. Unfortunately they come with the job. I'll be seeing you around, Takeo."

"See you later, Matias. You too, Hawk-Eye!" Takeo called out with a look at Annie. At the nickname of 'Hawk-Eye' she pondered on it, she'd never been given a name like that before, well... she'd been given 'Female Titan' by the other of her shifter partners but that was not a public nickname.

Waving to Takeo as they left, she thought about her nickname even more and looked up at Matias as she alongside her superior make their way down the street towards the deeper and more poor part of the district.


	3. Chapter 3 - Chastise

**~ Chastise ~**

The two pass by other food-stands that are varied in what they sell, some more busy then others, but all making their money from patrons trying to make the ends meet.

The unconscious child despite his actions is one of those people as his dirtied clothes show; the pants especially as their covered in rips. His sandy hair is darker then it should be and beneath the fruit stains on his face there is scrapes and scabs.

"You know hawk-eye isn't a bad name for you, Annie. Considering that impressive throw." Matias compliments as his arm adjusts the child still unconscious underneath his arm.

"Though I guess that isn't much for someone that graduated fourth eh? Honestly I didn't quite believe it at first, but now that I've seen you knock a kid out with an apple? I don't think there is any doubt that you're as talented as the files say. So you have my apologies for belittling you. You do deserve my respect." His words are genuine and the smile that he gives is welcoming although it quickly grows into a smirk.

"Nice comeback at the stall by the way, but I'm not looking to retire yet. Unlike some of the other officers that may as well have. For instance..." He moves the bag full of fruit a little down-wards for Annie to take some if she pleases.

"…If you ever smell an officer that smells like fish? It's not fish and they have a sore right or left hand."

"I'm not twelve... sir... I know a pervert when I see and smell one..."

Walking along with him and the boy in his arms. Looking at the boy who he carried, Annie spoke. "Perhaps he should be thrown in the local jail for a few days, I mean, he was stealing and the moment we get him home, he will steal again. I mean, where I'm from, people like him would have a hand or finger cut off.. Stealing is stealing and he is a criminal, no matter how old he is" she explained before realising she'd said "Where I'm from" and covered herself quickly with "At least in my village". Yea, that should do.

"If I had wanted to kill him with the apple, I would have chosen the first one, it was harder and had a solid core, the one I threw was rotten, so your little market friend Takeo was selling rotten food with less than a few days left" she told him, wiping her hand on her uniform jacket.

"Also, the reason I was ranked Fourth in my class was for several reasons, but not because of my skill level. People who come First are always watched, they are treated as perfect... I did not want that" she brought up her finger in a number one, then as she spoke down to four, she brought up a new finger each time.

"Those in Second are seen as winners even though they came Second and the First point still stands. Those in Third are watched for greatness, knowing they would achieve as much as the previous Two... while Fourth... no one ever cares for Fourth place... First, Second and Third have awards... Fourth does not... Fourth does not get noticed" She explained to him.

Throughout the explanation and answers gave him, the superior officer kept his relaxed and merry disposition in place. But beneath that his mind was intently listening to every single word that was said to him; key-words sticking out like a sore thumb.

"Where she's from." The slip up was clear and only became even more clear as she tried to correct her wording. It meant that she's hiding a secret and from the way she casually talked about killing the child for something as petty as stealing made that secret much darker. Then their was the very specific way she talked about how being in fourth doesn't get noticed or recognised unlike the top three. For starters it spoke about her own personal confidence and viewpoint when it came to her achievements. But more importantly it also hinted towards the desire to stay hidden among her peers and hypothetically explained her cold attitude. All of that was taken in mind, but the only response that was given was her comment about being able to label perverts.

"Really now? Looks like you're a regular ole Hawk-Eye after all!" The man said with a merry bout of laughter and a playful nudge of his elbow into Annie's side.

"It is pretty easy to kill a child, although I would not bawk at it, its not my job to kill the civilians..." she explained as she walked alongside him. He looked into his bag of fruit with a frown and then moved it a little closer to Annie.

"Do me a solid and pick out the rotten fruit from the fresh fruit. Takeo is usually a little more careful, but I guess the harvest is a little rough with the times." He looks to Annie as she begins to pick out the fruit with a smile and raised brow.

"You should eat one of the fresh fruit in here. I guarantee that it's better fruit then you'll find anywhere else in these walls and outside. The man is a genius when it comes to picking out fresh fruit."

At the mention of the rotten fruit, she took the bag and picked out one at a time, giving it a squeeze then throwing them over her shoulder or put them back in the bag. She sniffed a few and put them back or threw them away. There were defiantly mostly fresh fruit but about Fifteen percent of them were not good to her sensing.

She took the last good one and took a bite of it, it was good, surprisingly. She had found all the food here on the island was full of crap, even though they made a lot of it here with the lacking of certain things, she was surprised how the food got so well off.

"Where I'm from, there is a fruit you'd never taste anything like it" she explained, "I mean, your fruit you get here in the centre" she explained, covering herself again.

Annie was making more and more mistakes with every passing second the two were spending together. Perhaps this was the reason that she'd stayed a loner in training? She knew or was told that she wouldn't be able to keep a secret once she was in the presence of someone else. He kept the thoughts to himself as the two arrived at the kids house with a knock on the door.

When they arrived at the kids house, the mother wasn't surprised, as if she knew he was out stealing. She brought him in and made an effort to pretend to chastise the boy when he woke up although she obviously glared at them about the fact he was unconscious with a severe bump on the back of his head.

"It was me Ma'am... He was running away, maybe next time don't bring up a petty thief" she told the woman when the mother chastised them on their actions. Turning and walking away with him, as they headed back to the barracks, She stood outside his office and looked around.

"You know you should have brought him to the cells, even for a night... or few hours.. his mother probably gave him some food then let him out again to go steal.." she shrugged, not really caring but wanting to make sure that he knew her position on the act.

Although Annie didn't get it, her superior officer did as this couple was one of the many that he personally knew. Ryuji and his mother Andrea are a poor family abandoned by their father who belongs to the military police. He'd been trying to approach them for awhile with his money, but she'd continually declined the offer with a curse or two that showed her own distrust of the government. Perhaps now with how her son had been caught stealing food she'd reconsider his offer.

When the two returned to his office, the superior would turn to Annie with a glance as his office door was locked. "I wouldn't count on it. I know the mother and child. Their both victims of a military officer's abuse in the mother's case getting impregnated and in the son's case getting abandoned. I've been willing to offer them money from me to help them get by, but the mother refused saying she'll take care of it. The son stealing was probably the way and with him caught she's no doubt going to reconsider the deal. But enough about that!" The door to his office clicks with the lock and the officer turns towards Annie with a grin.

"It's time for you to get your stuff from the barracks. You're going to be living with me in my home since it'll probably make both our jobs easier."

He didn't mention that another primary reason he'd made this decision was his own suspicions that'd grown from the time they'd spent together and his gut instinct that he should probably keep tabs on her to some extent. "Plus I guarantee my company is a more suited for a loner then anyone in this squad. You have my word on that." That was also true. If Annie were to stay here she'd probably kill someone at some point, lose her mind, or do both with how infuriating and rather disgusting his squad could be.

"Perhaps if she actually acted like a mother, she'd stomach her pride and take your pitty money" She suggested before seeing him explain to her that she'd be staying with him.

"Oh, I see how it is, bed the new recruit to get them in your favour? Not able to get any of the other recruits so keeping it in your squad?" she asked and shrugged. "if you want that but I wont be letting you touch me without me getting any perks" she explained and turned to leave without even a salute or a goodbye, simply leaving with the remarks of assumed perversion, stopping at the door to speak over her shoulder.

"I'm going to go collect my gear, my 3DM gear and get food... so unless you want to come with me" She added over her shoulder. She did not like her commander, he seemed too 'goody-goody'. He seemed like the kind of person who would die to save their companion.

Not Annie, she had a job to do and if she died, they'd fail... she did not like to fail.


	4. Chapter 4 - Home Sweet Home

**I am sorry for the long delay between anything I've posted on here. I have been mostly working on my own things. However, I am going to try and post some of the stuff I have done and prepared so I can finish off some of these series and get them all settled for full Ebook publishing :)**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

 _~ Home Sweet Home ~_

Matias wasn't sure how many codes of conduct that Annie had broken in those three sentences, but he let it slide regardless and kept quiet rather then respond. Though he was curious and that much more suspicious that she'd jumped to that conclusion that quickly. Was it more of the sarcasm he was starting to be able to get used to or something much darker? He didn't know. As she invited him in the most unenthusiastic way possible to join her he rose an eyebrow, but otherwise stayed quiet as he stepped in line with her. The two went to the barracks in dead silence and she collected her belongings in that same silence, the book catching his eye and much like everything else he'd seen or caught into going into a "figure out later" section in his mind.

"Alright. Now that you've got your stuff, we should should get going." He said with a turn in the direction of the exit, the two of them making quick work in getting out of the building and on the way to his neighbourhood.

His neighbourhood unlike most officers wasn't located near a seedy district or the base, but a very quiet place in an almost isolated part of the town protected by the walls. It wasn't really at all exciting, but it was quiet with a tight community made up mostly of elderly people and families. Each knew and thankfully, liked him; something that most people spread throughout the walls didn't share due to the military polices understandably rotten reputation.

Walking with Matias through the barracks and getting her stuff, she followed him through the neighbourhood he lived in. She took in all the details, sounds and sights; she made sure that she took in a lot of information so that she could use it at some point.

She saw the type of people he lived around and found it very much like his character. She was already getting the image of him in her mind.

"So, Annie. Since we're pretty much going to be rooming together is there anything I should know?" He moved his hand through the air in a small gesture with a brow raised. "Hobbies or rules or anything like that." The moment that his subordinate opens her mouth he interrupts with slightly sterner stare. "And don't say something sexual."

At his small talk, she spoke softly as she matched his pace; her pack over her shoulder and her 3DM gear over the other shoulder. "Well, there are several rules I follow. No touching my laundry, I do my own and no one touches my clothes. No entering my room and I require a separate room... I will put a lock on it and you will not enter it. I cook my own meals and don't eat other meals unless I know exactly what is in it" She explained softly,

"And I wasn't going to say anything sexual but I will add this now, seeing as you mentioned it, No touching my underwear, no sexual moves on me either" she chuckled softly, Arriving at his house, she turned and waited for him to unlock the door.

A flat and somewhat bemused expression settled across the superior officer's expression as Annie gave him some much more "intimate" rules. Here he'd thought that all of the rules that she had given him was more then enough and particularly annoying. In the span of around three minutes he now has to deal with a second set of hands doing laundry and quite possibly the pickiest version of eating that he could've gotten. At the same time he was somewhat impressed by how she was this self-sufficient at a young age. Most people that he knew that were twice his age still couldn't handle that much responsibility, but that might be a result of his associates being subhuman in their own responsibilities. Another thing that struck him at that moment was how all of those "rules" were those that matched someone wanting to keep a secret. What was that secret? He didn't know, but now he was almost certain that there was more to Annie Leonhart then anyone was told.

"I'll keep all that in mind." His response was dry as the hand that dug in his pocket took out the key to his home. It was a quaint home at around two stories with a small flower garden at the top and relatively boring in terms of design with different shades of brown. The people that pass them by were mostly families that passed him a stare and older folk that gave him a wave that were returned with a smile. His key clicks in the hole and the two are able to enter his quiet home, the rays of dwindling sunlight illuminating the darkened home.

"There's a room upstairs to the left that you can take. It's a guest room with the bare essentials in it. The bathroom is to the right and my own room is the furthest right." The bag of fruit that he'd been holding onto was finally placed on the table to wait and be placed in a bowl.

"So come there if you need anything since I'll be in there for the remainder of the day." With that said he made his way to the staircase that lead to the second floor of his home and made his way into his own room.

His own room was almost an exact mirror of his office complete with a desk with paperwork on it. The key differences were in the real lack of personality in the room except for a photo on his dresser; the picture depicted his family when his sister was still among the living. He glanced at the picture as he always did on the way to his desk and upon taking a seat grabs a single paper from the pile. The title read, "Report on Annie Leonhart," his pen taken in hand pressed down on the line beneath the title. As a commanding officer it was his job to do these reports for each officer in his unit, but considering the current state of his unit he's never actually bothered to do a single one.

Thinking back on the short time he's spent with Annie and his own deductions he decides that it's time to break tradition and actually do this report. That was how his first night goes down, the commanding officer writing down his deductions and suspicions that had gathered in his mind. By the middle of the night he'd written a whole page, but rather then handing it in he put it in his pile to be continued at a later date. He may have his suspicions, but it was worth giving the younger girl and this partnership the benefit of the doubt.


	5. Chapter 5 - Mission

_~ Mission ~_

Going up to her room, she dumped her things and inspected the room, opening the window just enough to let fresh air into the room but not letting anything more than a small bird through the gap. She unpacked her things and put them away into the cupboards and draws. She put up her 3DM kit into cupboard ready to be dismantled and cleaned.

Working her standard shifts, Annie made her way through the next few weeks with her normal shift. She worked her duties as a Military Police Soldier, arresting criminals that attempted to steal from stalls, intercepting drug deals in the capital by the poor; of course she noted that she never arrested any of the rich, important or well known people.

It seemed the Merchants, royalists and the wealthy all had some immunity from certain acts. When she did attend some major event to stop some crime, the rich were mostly let off with warnings and mentions of 'keeping it quieter'. She grumbled quietly, she hated when people got away with things.

Over the time she spent with him, her mornings were all exactly the same. She got up early and worked out, going for runs around the blocks and districts in a set of running gear before coming home, showering and making herself breakfast. She wore her uniform without a single crease and looked perfect in the eyes of the other members of the Military Police whom did not care about their uniform.

Annie wasn't emotionless, she just did not care, she avoided making comments about people good or bad, and only made simple and upfront comments when asked; she was brutally honest and that made her hated in some eyes. She never seemed to lie to anyone, except as he seemed to note; she was living a major lie.

When taken to any of the restaurants, she ate the food but made comments on it as always in her brutally honest manner.

"This is too bland, it requires salt"

"This is too spicy, it would need to be milder to bring out the real taste"

"This is too salty, more pepper is needed"

She seemed to have an opinion on everything and never hid the truth from her comments. At one function with a rich family, she told the son of the nobleman who invited them that he was a 'Stuck up little brat who's nose was far dirtier than a dogs arse' when he had made comments about her status as a military police.

Annie seemed to have no preference for food or drink, although she did not drink alcohol; the comments she made were "If I wanted to become a drunkard, I would have tried to be an officer" bringing many laughs at parties but was actually a brutally honest statement again.

One day, she disappeared, Annie had got up early, she had heard news, stupid news. Eren Jaeger arrested by Military Police and taken into the custody of the Scout Legion.

She had fought during the battle for Trost against the Titans before her assignment to the Military Police but she had not seen him transform, nor had she realised he was the key to this all. Why the hell had she not noticed anything when she had been in the Training Squad with him.

She hated herself for this and knew she had to go deal with it. Reiner and Bertholt had messaged her and she had gotten the plans for the initial route the Scout Corp would take.

Going out the main gate of the Inner Wall, she then headed by horse to the second wall where she transformed into her Titan Form.

The Female Titan was the nickname given by her people outside the island this pathetic race lived on, she clambered up the wall and ran off into the distance.

What followed was several fights, picking off the Scouts and seeing her old team, she had to find Eren. Running into Reiner was the most helpful as he gave her his exact position. Now chasing them down into the forest, she knew this was a bad place to be but they did not expect a sentient Titan. She killed many men, and oh lords it felt so good to wash the blood of this pathetic race on her skin; they got what they deserved for past pains to her people.

The main problem was when she was trapped. She'd given them too little thought and got caught, luckily her little trick saved her life. Hardening her skin, she broke free after transforming back into her human form. Escaping in her gear, she killed more Scouts; the famous Levi Squad was to be picked apart as she transformed again

Killing them off was nice, but a close call when they took out her arms and eyes. Luckily she knew another trick and healed one eye first, killing the rest of the squad. Now she had to fight Eren, his form, the titan most well known for its aggressiveness. She had to be careful.

Taking up her 'stance' she prepared to fight him. It was like back in training, he was so predictable and easy to take out. She ran for a little bit, but then continued to fight.

Damn he was fast, damn he was strong. Hardening. She needed to defend herself. Damn, what was this feeling in her chest, the... was this fear? Was she actually scared of him? Yes. It had to be. No.. she wouldn't let him win, she had to win; she had to beat him for her people! For her family. To see her father again.

Turning, she decapitated him with a single slash, now was the chance to take him; she needed the boy not the Titan form. Kneeling down and opening her mouth as far as it could go; she bit down and took him in her mouth; this was the safest place for him.

Looking up and seeing Mikasa and Levi, she took off running. She knew the damn girl was just as good as her and Levi, she'd heard stories about how good he was.

No matter how much she ran, she knew they would catch up. Covering up her neck, she knew they would go for her. They took her legs, so she covered herself.

They were too good, she cold not escape with them both following her. Pain, she felt pain along arm and then they did it again. Both eyes. She had to remember that next time.

Covering herself from the floor, she was being cut apart. Damn, she couldn't last this long. No scream, no she couldn't open her mouth. There... The pin. She swiped for whoever was going for her neck.

Fuck! Her mouth had been cut. Levi... that bastard.

She waited for them to finish her off but... nothing came. When her eye healed, she looked around and saw she was alone. They'd taken Eren. Damn. She'd have to try again at some point.

When she was fully healed, she got up and went back to the wall, transforming outside and climbing the wall back to her waiting horse.

When she arrived back in the city two days later, she went into her room and collapsed. For two full days she did not leave the room, although he knew she was back by the boots left by the main door. They were muddy and had shown she'd been somewhere.

On the third day, she came out and sat down at the breakfast table; she had not gone for her run today and her face was slightly red, especially around the eyes, cheeks and neck.

"Morning..." she mumbled quietly, still looking exhausted.


	6. Chapter 6 - Suspicions

_~ Suspicions ~_

Matias didn't know whether to be more proud or even more upset that Annie had actually listened to each of his requests and completed them without fail. He'd been hoping that there would be something that could point him in the direction of a betrayal. But all he'd gotten was more evidence that she was a good officer and thinking about the time they'd spent together, a good friend.

So for two days he was frustrated and steadily getting a little angry up until he came home on the night of the second day. The night Annie came back with muddy boots, told a story that was revealed the next morning. A meeting was called among the Military Police officers and the leader of the Survey Corps, Erwin Smith.

He hadn't been paying much attention to their endeavours, but the failure in their mission what was a Female Titan, stranger and different than other Titans. The meeting had been called to talk about that Female Titan and the fact that Erwin believed that the mysterious Titan was someone within humanity and more importantly, in the Military Police. It didn't take a genius to put two and two together the moment that question was asked, the superior officer having to keep his mouth shut as Erwin explained the situation and then adjourned the meeting.

The rest of the day and the next was something of a blur, Military Police and the Survey Corps both trying to figure out who the mysterious Female Titan was. Little did they know Matias already had an idea on who it was, the appearance of this mysterious Titan lining up too well with the disappearance of his subordinate.

On the third day when Annie finally awoke, the conflicted officer had been eating an apple after a night of drinking and ripping apart at least three different finished confession reports. He couldn't write anything like that without solid evidence, but unfortunately the moment that Annie walked downstairs to greet him he had what he needed. Those markings were not tattoos. Those markings were not beauty marks. Those markings were what he couldn't dare think about without wanting to scream. He bit into the apple to keep his composure in check and then looked over at Annie with a raised eyebrow and a smirk.

"So sleeping beauty is finally up huh? You look like shit." He gestured to the red around her eyes, cheeks, and neck.

"Specially around here. Honestly you should take the day off to get some food and a little more rest. Work has gotten kinda slow since..." He takes another bite of his apple to keep his tone and expression calm and level.

"Both the survey corps and military police are looking into a rouge Titan. Female Titan I think it's called. All resources are going towards looking for who we believe is someone within these very walls, but considering how small our unit is..." He tosses the apple thats been reduced to a simple core into the trash and looks at Annie with a light shrug. "I'm sure they won't miss us for a day."

Walking down the stairs and sitting down, she saw her commanding officer and raised an eyebrow. He had clearly been up for a while, perhaps even all night. He had probably been trying to figure out where she had been.

At the comment of her being 'sleeping beauty' and 'looking like shit' she shook her head.

"I do not need to take more time off. I believe I already took enough unlisted time off." She explained. "Although the Military police are the kind of people to just disappear a lot... I might have been meeting a lover, being drunk for several days and getting 'down with it'." She brought her hands up and made finger apostrophe motions when she said 'down with it'.

At the mention of the Female Titan and the search for it, no emotion flashed on her face; she knew they'd be searching for someone.

"Why would they be searching for a Titan in the city? I thought Titans were outside the walls; thats the Survey Corp's job after all isn't it? Then the Garrison should be involved if there is a Titan in the wall." She explained, picking up her coffee and sipping it.

"This 'Female Titan' must be something different. Why would they be looking in the walls with the Military Police?" She asked. News about the 'shifters' wasn't known to everyone, only a small number of people. Either she was a VERY good liar or she was unaware of it all.

"Did the Survey Corps not recently come back from a failed mission? I heard they had a lot of dead. I'd believe that they should work more on not getting killed than looking for some made up Titan."

Matias kept silent throughout the questions and had to actually hold his tongue when Annie mentioned the Survey Corps. Annie may be among the top in brute strength, but it was now abundantly clear that she wasn't good at lying when it counted. He looked into the fruit basket and found that much to his displeasure he'd eaten the last piece of fruit that he could've gotten his hands on. Running his tongue along the bottom of his teeth, the officer with little option looked to Annie.

"Annie." His eyes closed and the entirety of his expression seemed to scrunch up before relaxing as his eyes reopened.

"How did you hear about the Survey Corps? You came back just before they did and went to sleep for two straight days. Nobody could've told you unless…" His eyes narrowed and the tone of his voice took on an authoritative and striking tone.

"…You were there."

Annie stood up slowly, a slight shiver of the corner of her lip before she shrugged. "Its easy to hear the noise outside, that old couple next door doesn't shut up when they open their windows." She quickly covered herself but knew she'd fucked up.

"Why would I even go out there? I mean, I joined the Military Police to avoid that." She explained and sipped her coffee before putting the cup down.

"I got to go do my patrol. If you're going to come along, you better clean up.. You look like shit... sir.." She added the sir in respect before going to grab her long-coat and waiting by the door.

Matias' expression was unchanging as Annie continued to give him poorly made lies. He sucked his teeth as she got up to grab her long-coat. If she went out she'd probably get caught by the Military Police or Survey Corps because of those red marks on her face. She was either panicking or stupider than he'd thought.

All the higher ups especially those in the Survey Corps were told of what signs to look for in their search for the shifter. One of them was the red rash like marks along the eyes, cheeks, and neck. If he let Annie walk out to do her morning routine there's no doubt in his mind she'll get caught. It was his job to let that happen, but the more she began to put on her jacket the more conflicted that he began to feel. It reached a breaking point as she began to move towards his door, his eyes squeezing shut and head looking down.

"Annie. If you ever find yourself in trouble, you can come back here. Please do your best to remember that." That was the last thing that he said as her superior officer, the man walking out of the kitchen and up the stairs that'd lead him to the bedroom upstairs.

He silently hoped that some twist of fate would allow the Survey Corps and Military Police to miss their mark. Unfortunately his hopes would go unanswered as unbeknownst to both of them, Armin Arlert had already figured out her identity. In fact he alongside Eren Jaeger and the rest of the Survey Corps are waiting for her arrival to confirm her identity and capture her.


	7. Chapter 7 - Trap

_~ Trap ~_

Annie looked at him with a glare when he told her that she could come to him. "I can handle myself." She told him and walked off down the road, shrugging on her jacket as she went to the squad building she usually got her kit from and grabbed her musket and 3DM kit. There she made sure it was all working for the passing of the Scout Legion.

She only heard it from the squad commanders as they prepared their men, she had no idea they would be bringing Eren through here until that moment. It was perfect; maybe she could snatch him right there in the middle of the city. It would be a gamble but once she was over the walls, she could make a run for the next wall before they knew what was happening.

Dressed in her white hoodie and swapping out her long coat for her half jacket, she prepared her kit. Giving assignments as by the people on site, she would be part of the people following by 3DM gear.

It all seemed suspicious but what she learnt of the Survey Corp they never took anything half measure. The officers left them all as she expected.

Waiting out on the street, she watched the Convoy pass by as she saluted like her fellow squad members. She looked out for Matias, but assumed he'd be at home on what ever mood swing he seemed to have been going for this morning.

"Annie..."

Stopping and turning, she saw an alley and saw. Armin? What a surprise. Why the hell was he here? She actually let a little blush for a moment, not wanting to admit that her little crush she had was stood there.

"So.. whats with the outfit?" She asked

"Whats this about?" As Armin explained his little plan, she couldn't help but jump for joy internally. They wanted her to help them break out Eren! All because she was part of the same training division. This was a golden opportunity.

"You're serious about this?" She asked and got her reply. Armin used his brains to say several things to her, guilt tripping her. It was almost as if he knew, but no one should know. It was just Armin being Armin.

"Al right... Lets go." She mumbled, just in case, she slipped on her ring. This wasn't right, it seemed too easy. It was easy to escape the lookouts, she felt suspicious about all this. That was when they brought her to the tunnel entrance. She stopped, thinking through the facts. She could not go down there and transform; it would be stupid to go down.

"You're not afraid of dark places?" Eren teased.

Fuck.. they knew... they knew...

"No. I refuse, I'm too afraid, above ground I'll help. Otherwise.. the deals off." She told them.

"It seems for whatever reason, this place has been completely deserted... "

Angles, she needed angles, she could run that way, no; they'd have people there... Her gear, she could fly out; no, they'd have people on the roof. She'd have to transform. It was the only way, grab Eren and run.

"That hurts me, it really does. The way you're looking at me. If I didn't know better, I'd say you didn't trust me."

Then they talked about Marco's gear. A smile. She smiled.

"Yes, I found it and used it. I took it."

The two Titans...

"No one knows... but if you suspected it months ago, why wait?"

He didn't want to believe he was right.

The fact she didn't kill him. Damn it.. her fucking crush put her in this place.

A smile again, "Yes... we're here because I liked you... of course, I'd never dreamed you'd corner me like this. Why... why didn't I do it then?"

"We both know I can't come down there."

Mikasa was ready to fight... she was going to try and kill me?

Annie burst out into laughter, she'd never laughed like this in years. Since she was a child back home with her father.

"You know Armin, its nice to be a good person for you. For now at least, at least you won your bet. But... I'm going to gamble to and here's my wager!"

Bang they signalled something. She was surrounded. They gagged her. to stop her biting But she had one plan... her ring.

She transformed.

The sound rang out for miles, the flash. Matias would see it from a distance. Slowly rising out of the smoke, the Female Titan rose above the buildings

Trying to grab Eren, she failed to grab him, he escaped into the tunnels. Now she had to deal with the others outside. Smashing into people, she took out anyone who got near.

She saw the wings of freedoms and knew there were Survey Corps specialists here but she also saw a few Military Police officers. it was so easy, even in the middle of the street, she was able to take a lot of them out.

The problem was Mikasa, the damn bitch was too good, Armin... she would have to kill him now.

No.. she couldn't do that...blocking her neck, she knew they'd try and get her. She'd chase after Eren and Armin; unaware of it being Jean.

Again, they tried to trap her with the ropes and spears Laid out on the floor, she thought it through. That four eyed Survey Corp officer from earlier. At least she had her nape covered. She wouldn't let them take her down. She needed to escape; fuck Eren, she was going to get out!

Smashing up the place, she began to jog for the wall. Climb it, head South to the outer wall. Throwing rocks and keeping her pace, she ran as fast as she could until..

She turned and saw the detonation of a transformation. Dammit.. Eren was coming for her.

Now she was very worried. Raising her fists, she began to try and fight him off but he was too powerful, she was tossed around like a rag doll.

Standing up to her feet, she brought her fists up, knee bent; just like her father taught her. She would take him, kill him then get out of here. Fuck the mission.

Punch. Kick, spin. She was thrown and she got up, he was too fast and strong, almost berserker. She ran for the wall but he was after her She had knocked him down enough but he kept getting back up! Why did he keep getting back up!

Screaming out as he smashed her head into the floor repeatedly. She tried to fight back as he squeezed her face, it hurt so much! Why did he keep getting back up!

Kicking off him, she ran for the wall but he pinned her down, it was almost sexual in nature the way they were fighting, if the Titans had genitalia, it would almost look like the pair were fucking.

Kicking him away, she ran for the wall; hardening her fingers she jumped but he followed, pinning her down. She was almost there!

Slash… Slash…

"Annie... now fall" Mikasa was there, right in her face. She fell back and landed hard, trying to sit up, she couldn't defend her neck, her hands were limp... Sitting up she turned and saw Eren run at her one last time; his hand was level at her neck.

"Annie.. I'm sorry." She heard the voice, her father...

"Father.. I'm sorry." She whispered. Blackness. When she opened her eyes, she fell out of the decapitated head; she was in pain, her right arm and her left leg from the knee was gone. Crawling slowly, she left a trail of blood from the left leg dangling by a few strands of muscle.

She crawled for what felt like eternity but was only seconds, right to the food of the door; she needed to get away. Looking up, her single eye, the other hanging out of its socket met Matias's. She was whimpering, crying, a mess.

"H.. h.. help.. me... " She whimpered, she begged. Without realising it, her head had landed into the wall across from the house, she had crawled to HIS doorstep.

"He...help me... please..." She begged Matias as he stood in the doorstep.


	8. Chapter 8 - Aftermath

_~ Aftermath ~_

When Matias went to sleep he'd been hoping to wake up to this whole day being a nightmare brought upon by his stress. He had wanted to wake up with Annie without the marks that condemned her as a Titan and continue things as they had been in what he had considered peace. When he woke up he got anything but, the sounds of chaos and death breaking him out of his sleep. He hadn't known how long it had been, but he had been quick in getting up and getting in his uniform before stumbling outside. His eardrums vibrated and his skull rung with the roars and cries of Titans. People in his neighbourhood confused and frightened by the chaos in a deeper portion of the capital had looked to him for answers. He hadn't known what to say to them except for the promise to make sure that they didn't get hurt in the conflict as he raced to where it was happening.

As he'd made his way over the damage done by the two Titans became more and more grotesque, children without their parents roaming the streets around him with dead eyes and tear stricken cheeks. Some hadn't been so lucky and were among the corpses that he found in the rubble. Flashbacks of his sister and his own past became more and more clear as he forced his way through these sights. The only thing pulling him forward being the smile that his subordinate had worn in their time together. It propelled him forward and got him to the epicentre of the massacre before he was stopped by the horrifying sight of a head soaring towards his neighbourhood; he had never turned around so fast.

He almost tripped over his own feet in his mad dash, adrenaline pushing his body to its very limit. By the time that he arrived in front of the carnage that the Female Titan's head had caused he was both exhausted and shocked. The impact that the head had caused had not only destroyed a home and killed those inside, but it had created this thick smoke that made visibility near impossible. Still by a stroke of pure dumb luck he noticed something crawling towards his door and sprinted over to it fearing that it was someone in trouble.

It was someone in trouble. It was his subordinate. Annie Leonhart.

His training and experience in the Survey Corps had stopped him from losing his nerve at the sight of his subordinate, but it was still hard to look at. To avoid looking at it any further then he needed to, the military officer was quick to scope up Annie and then make his way through his own front door. He raced his way to a single cellar that had come with his house, one that in his eyes should really belong to a serial killer; it was finally going to come in handy. He ran over to it and got to his knees, the door almost invisible with how it was coloured the same as the floor. He opened it up and then looked at Annie with a single command.

"Don't make a sound and don't move until I come back." His hands dropped her inside the pitch blackness the moment he finished speaking and then closed the door with an aggregated sigh. It was only a matter of time until the Survey Corps found their way here and questioned him about his relationship with Annie and her whereabouts. He couldn't let them know that she was here nor ever find her in the first place, at least until he got to know just who she really is.

Seeing him with her single eye, she stared up at him as he picked her up. Taken inside and simply dropped into the cellar, she hissed and moaned in pain before rolling onto her side and crawling into a corner; using the lid of a barrel as a makeshift shield, it was useless anyway but she was terrified; it was obvious in her wide eye.

The Survey Corps arrived quickly, inspecting the head, they noted she was not in there, nor had she been in the body so they began their search. Quickly finding the dismembered limb of her foot, having fallen off from the thin muscle holding it as Matias had picked her up.

They began to knock on doors, kicking them in and searching, the blood trail heading to his door had been disguised by the sheer amount of blood from civilians killed by her head landing nearby.

They searched but found nothing, rushing into Matias's house, they saw him covered in blood and questioned him, of course believing what he said because he WAS Military Police after all; and the blood on her was not Titan blood, it was human for now. Annie's blood only burnt away in her Titan form.

Dogs were brought to search for her and went crazy at the scent of his house, more men were stationed but it was revealed that this was her home for a while. Stationing guards outside while a few searched her room, she kept nothing in particular that she did not carry with her so they found nothing in it.

"This is worse than I thought." Was the first thing that came to mind when Matias stepped outside to inspect the damage done by Annie's Titan remains. The building she'd crushed had somehow fallen on top of another and destroyed it as well, the staggering amount of dead on the street and the blood making most grown men sick on the street. He did his best to help despite the very clear futility in the action and eventually got people to gather dead or living in rubble.

As each were pulled out he was covered in more and more of the blood that their gushing limbs or torn torso's released. Memories that he'd suppressed came back in quick succession with each body, but he kept strong and made sure that those living and dead could at least be seen by the families and friends. At this time the Survey Corps searched his home and eventually commander Erwin alongside Levi confronted him. He had expected as much and quickly told the two everything about their history together and his own observations. Both went silent and exchanged a look before joining the search, the military officer able to feel the eyes on the back of his head as he went back to looking for both the living and dead.

When three hours had passed and he was approached by Nile and Erwin it didn't surprise him in the least that they suspected him to be hiding her. He denied the claims on his own understanding that Annie was smart enough to know that coming to his home would be the worst choice considering their history. That was his first lie. His second was showing the Survey Corps every single abandoned area in the neighbourhood and beyond that would suffice as a hiding spot.

When asked about the dismembered limb of her foot at the front of his door he was quick to play dumb and mention the severity of the smoke that'd covered the neighbourhood. If she had come to his home he hadn't been able to see it with how hard it was to see and how he had been more preoccupied with making sure people in his neighbourhood were safe. It was hard to argue with him after that and the questions steadily stopped, but as he expected people were put on guard in his neighbourhood to keep an eye on him. He continued to play it cool and rather then go back into his home continued to help in the clean up operation until it began to get late and people with heavy hearts retired for the night.

He was just as exhausted as everyone else by the time he got into his home, but he knew that his night had just began as he went to the cellar entrance. It was an absolute miracle that the dogs hadn't found this cellar door due to the blood in the air and the stronger scent in the places she had lived in. He opened the door and then hopped inside with a grunt, hand running against the wall until it found the switch to give the place a little light.

In the cellar, Annie had yanked her eye from its dangling piece of muscle and was recovering VERY slowly. She was exhausted and needed energy, food and rest to fully heal; it would take a few days for her to be back to full health but for now, she was busy trying to heal her leg; putting all attention into it.

The wounds had stopped bleeding and were slowly sizzling with smoke as the flesh healed through the power of the Titan Shifter.

"You're... going to... hand me over... arnt you?" She whispered quietly, eye wide with fear and shaking, actually shaking. The once strong persona gone for now.

He snorted in an ill-fitting reaction brought on by the outlandishness of her question and the pure exhaustion that was this entire day and those before it.

"You're shitting me, Annie. I just lied to basically the entirety of the Survey Corps, hid you in this cellar, and basically became an enemy of humanity. I'm not going to hand you over." He walked over to where Annie was and in a sudden violent motion kicked the shield out of her weakened hands. It clattered to the ground as he crouched down to get eye-level with the Titan-shifter.

"Now that said, I will change my mind if you don't promise me right here and now to stop with the bullshit. That means no more lies and no more avoiding the subject." His voice is more powerful then it has ever been and in the dimness of this cellar his eyes carry a mad glow to them.

"You're going to tell me everything and you're going to listen to me. Do I make myself clear?"


	9. Chapter 9 - Long Story

_~ Long Story ~_

Annie actually jumped and made a quiet squeal as he kicked the shield out of her hand and leaned closer, stern voiced more than she'd ever seen him before.

"I... Its a long story." She bit her lip, looking around and then taking a deep breath.

"It all started when I was three years old." She began, weaving a story of how she grew up in the slums of a vast city, she told of the two races who lived in her homeland; the descenders of Ymir, the people whom had once ruled the land but had been overthrown by their servants.

Now cast into ghetto's, they were treated like lower life forms. When she was only a child, her parents sent her to a camp where she was taught to fight, to kill and to make sure that she could win any fight.

Out of the hundred young girls, she was the only one to survive, all the rest had died either by each other's hands or by the tests given to them during their training. Annie explained to him of one girl she knew from her neighbourhood strung up on barb wire for three days just out of reach as machine guns pinned Annie down in a ditch no bigger than her own body, a single movement brought a bit of her into reveal and the machine gun would fire at her.

She explained what a machine gun was, she explained everything he asked her about. She seemed to know more about technology than anyone inside the walls.

One day she was brought out with several other boys, taken and stripped naked

"You will become the finest warriors of our great nation. To destroy the one's inside their walls and bring us that vast bounty of land!" She repeated in a high and mighty voice, the General had told them as they were injected and kicked into a pit, each in their own pit.

She explained of the pain, the excruciating pain as her body transformed into a Titan for the first time, her body reacting without her will, unable to control herself. She consumed another person, a girl of around 25 to 30, a previous holder of the Female Titan. She tasted human flesh and felt herself change, shift. When she woke, she had been naked again, Human and naked.

"They called me 'The Female Titan', I was chosen to be the Female Titan. I saw photographs of myself... a photograph is an image, like a painting..." She continued to explain technology as she explained it.

"I was a monster.. A Shifter, a weapon, given the power to change..." She explained to him and sighed. Over the few hours they spoke, she needed food, water and at one point passed out mid-explaining what a ship was.

When she woke, she would continue to tell him what ever he wanted, her journey to the island, their journey to the walls. Watching as one of her fellow warriors turned into the Colossal and the Armoured Titan. She then snuck into the walls and watched as people were eaten.

She was tasked with finding a single person, they knew who it had originally been. "His name was Grisha... I worked out it was Eren's father not long ago. When I heard about Eren transforming... I had been so stupid. No idea that the person I'd been training with for years was the one I was hunting."

"I joined the military to get into the Military Police. My Goal was to get near the King." She told him firmly. "He would know where the prime target was, but when I heard it was Eren. I went after the expedition."

Spitting, she sipped her water with her one hand. "I got close but that damn girl almost killed me. Mikasa, Eren's little love-toy." Annie scowled. "She almost killed me with that little Imp of a man Levi."

"So you know the story, I'm part of your race but you and your entire wall dwelling people are filth, less than me. I was chosen to be a destroyer, to get rid of our people, to make sure we never rose up again." She was crying now, mostly from her visible eye but also from her missing eye which still continued to steam like her leg and her arm.

"So, you going to kill me yourself? You can strangle me, decapitate me. That will definitely kill me."

Matias stayed quiet as Annie began to explain everything and to his credit remained that way as all the bombs were dropped. The descends of Ymir. Two races. Lower Life forms. He sat on the ground in silence and absorbed this information with an expression hidden by the dimness of the light in the cellar. A part of him wanted to scream to the heavens to wake up from this nightmare, but that was overshadowed by another part that wanted to listen. Matias stayed quiet

As Annie moved into her own personal history he was finally able to gain the clarity in her personality and actions that he'd been missing in the time they'd spent together. It wasn't that Annie didn't care, but she's been trained and molded to not care. The smile he had seen on the flowerbed was probably whatever remained of the three year old girl that was turned into a solider. Pity and anger both swirled in the pit of his stomach, but he kept it suppressed to focus on retaining the information about machine guns and these other pieces of technology.

Machine guns and photographs. They sounded like impossibly complex pieces of equipment, but the way Annie described them made it sound like they were as common as a piece of paper. When Annie passed out he was quick to leave the cellar to get the necessary water and food. Knowing that he would have to be clever about this, the officer changed into a plain shirt and a different pair of pants to make this look more like a late night snack. He'd bring a glass of water and an apple to the cellar and then give them to Annie as the story continued.

By the time that it got to the end he could feel his head pounding as it circulated the overload of information that it'd been given. In a way the whole thing reminded him of a twisted fairy tail that the shifters much like the monsters in those stories are forced into. Such a thought is what brought him to embracing the crying Annie in a hug and speaking with soft affection.

"No, Annie. I'm going to help you. You've done more than enough." With his arms still holding onto the small of her back he leaned back to face her with a smile. "From tonight onward your service as a warrior is going to end. And you're service for real this time as my subordinate is going to begin. With the first order being." He was quick to gather Annie up and put her on his shoulder as he stood up to his feet, the wounds she'd sustained easing her weight up quite a bit.

"You getting some sleep and recovering. We've got a lot to talk about once you're back at 100%" Although somewhat rusty with the military police's responsibilities, the officer was still able to lift them both out of the cellar door and in the darkness that the night gave them able to cleanly sneak up to his bedroom. Once they reached his own room he put Annie out of the line of sight of his window.

"As you've probably guessed the military police and survey corps are watching me. They'll relent at some point, but for the first few nights we need to be careful. You'll be sleeping in my room from now on. Never approach the window though unless I'm here, we need to keep the illusion that I'm the only one in this house." He demonstrated his point by calmly walking over to his lamp and blowing the heat away to blanket the room in darkness. "Now those outside will think that I'm going to bed, when really we both are. Now with that said... He turns to Annie in the darkness of his bedroom and points over his shoulder at the bed as he walks to his desk. "Feel free to take the bed. You need the sleep."

"I'm not done." She told him as he told her she was done being a warrior. "I failed. I failed and I want to go home!" She cried out into his shoulder when he picked her up, in pain but also in sadness; she'd NEVER been able to release any emotions, playing this double life she had to be firm and stoic.

"I want to see my father but I know he's already dead. We failed years ago, we failed to fight. Reiner, Berthold and I, we were all that remained. One was killed, eaten by a Titan when we came towards the city but we ran." She explained as he carried her upstairs into his room.

Settling out onto the bed, she bit her lip as her single eye looked at him.

"They will never stop hunting me. You're in danger keeping me here." Annie told him. "Once I am healed, I will be leaving. I need to report back to my commanders. Tell them of the technology you have made, the 3DM gear. We never knew about that. That your people forgot everything, or it was taken from you all."

However the moment she was placed onto the bed, she yawned, even though she passed out she was exhausted beyond measure. The last time she'd slept for two days, today she had expended almost everything inside her to try and escape, she would need way more than two days to recover now.

Passing into sleep, Annie was peaceful, she barely breathed at all and would look like a corpse if it wasn't for the slight smoke coming off her wounds as they regenerated.

Once Annie was actually asleep and he had checked that she wasn't dead, the superior officer took at seat in his chair and relieved the heaviest sigh of his life. He'd said what he had said to both close the conversation and to the best of his ability make sure that Annie could somewhat calm down. It was all a giant moral headache, the officer knowing that he can't allow her to leave with all that she can do to help humanity. But he can't give her up either without getting arrested and her getting tortured.

He couldn't even tell them all this information without getting asked how he knew about it. All he could do was stay silent and make sure that Annie recovered. Perhaps he might be able to sway her thoughts about reporting back to her commanders. Maybe she'd stay with him as...something. Looking over at Annie he recognised that all he had done went far far beyond a simple subordinate and friend relationship. This was something deeper, even possibly romantic as horrible as that sounded.

"Ugh. She always did say I was attracted to danger." The man muttered as he rested his head against his desk and let the exhaustion imposed on him by this entire day wash over him. He was quick to fall asleep and even quicker to wake up once the sun shined through the window.

His entire body ached from the horrible position he'd been in, but he was rested enough to continue with the day and make sure everything was at it should. He snuck over to his bed and turned on the light to make sure that it looked like he was getting up from there. After checking on the still slumbering Annie he wrote a note that read,

"When you read this don't go anywhere until I get home." and placed it beside her as he grabbed his clothes to get dressed for the day.

The day as it turned out proved to be less-hectic then he had thought in the military police headquarters. Most didn't know about the attacks and somehow were still going about their business, while others that did know were panicked and looking for a way to get moved to a different district. The survey corps had somehow gotten wrapped up in something else, perhaps the titans in the walls with how damaged they'd gotten in the fight as Annie had told him and went to investigate that. It made his activities rather lax and his shopping that day go by without a single issue.

What he grabbed on his travels was food and clothing, his acting skills coming into play when it came to getting feminine clothing that was hidden beneath bags of food. He'd already figured that Annie would want to go out at some point and made preparations with clothing that people would expect of a civilian instead of a solider. Of course this clothing couldn't hide her facial features particularly her nose, but that was an issue that he'd think about for a later time.

When this day ended and the next one began something absolutely amazing happened. The Armoured and Colossal Titan revealed themselves on top of Wall Maria. From what he'd heard Eren Jaeger was captured by them and the survey corps had given chase to get him back. Although this was incredibly bad, he was able to be a little relieved to know that the focus on finding Annie had lessened considerably. It made his shopping and glances at the slumbering Annie much less stressful then they had been.

Multiple days later when she finally woke up, he was actually waiting for her with a plate of pancakes and bacon with a side of fruit and water. He wasn't even dressed in his military uniform, but casual clothing. After the identities of the armoured titan and colossal had been revealed, a lot had happened to the political world. To sum it all up the military police and garrison are trying to get rid of the survey corps and execute Erwin.

Those in the lower barracks like him have been allowed to do what they want, in his case it was to skirt his duties all together and become a ghost. He's been helping Takeo at his food-stand to keep himself busy and far enough away from the military police and their machinations. Whatever is about to go down there he wants nothing to do with.

"Morning. You've missed quite a bit." He places the plate and tray down with a fold of his arms across his chest with a serious expression. "Your other comrades revealed their identities and have abandoned the walls. You're the only one still here."


	10. Chapter 10 - In Hiding

_~ In Hiding ~_

Opening her eyes when he came in, she stared at him as he explained about her comrades revealing and the fact they had abandoned the walls. She got him to give her more information and learnt they had taken Eren.

"Good. If they took Eren that means our mission is a success. Our commanders will soon assault this land once they have the power Eren holds," Annie smiled, at least her mission had been completed.

"I just need to get home now." Annie explained With a groan she sat up, looking at the food he brought for her, she stared at the food for a moment before using one hand to eat it; she stuffed her face, not even using the fork; she was really that hungry.

"What you going to do with me?" She looked down at her leg, it was partly healed, another three or four days in the house and it would be fully healed, then she'd work on her eye and arm.

While it may be true that Annie wasn't going to be causing anymore damage, the reliance on her mission was problematic. From what he can tell it had completely failed considering the Survey Corps are doing better than ever.

On top of that she's still obsessed with seeing everyone in the walls getting annihilated by the Titans; he needed to address this. As she began to eat with one hand, the officer crossed his arms over his chest.

"Nothing. I told you that I'm going to make sure that you recover." A slight pause follows and he releases a sigh through his nose, his decision to start this conversation made. "But you should know that your comrades mission didn't succeed. In fact the Survey Corps have gained so much power that the King is trying to get them disbanded. In other words this mission that you've been going on about is a failure. So take my advice and give it up."

His words were admittedly harsh and blunt, but the last time he hadn't been direct she had ended up the complete mess that was in his bed now. In his mind, the only thing that he could do to actually help her is be as blunt as she is. That way she might actually listen to him.

"Your people are fractured, your people have begun to in-fight, you don't even know there is a foe outside the walls wanting to destroy our race. I say our race because I am the same as you in blood, but we are two different types of people. They wont get rid of my people because we're tame but your people, here inside the wall; you're all dangerous to them."

"I wont give up on my mission because I am going to go home. See my father, get my reward of being able to live in the city proper, my family will be treated like proper people." Annie explained to him, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand as she moved her knee at its new joint; the bone cracking as she did so.

"Stop acting like you know everything, Annie. You've been asleep for almost a week and out of the spectrum of information even longer. You don't know what the Survey Corps know and constantly trying to convince yourself that "Your people" are on a higher pedestal then "these people" is ridiculous. You've been raised as a child solider and treated lower than dirt, your people will get eliminated if their deemed useless. Which brings me to this thing about your father and family…" He leans a little forward in his seat to keep his eyes level with her single one.

"Child soldiers especially those treated as horribly as you don't get rewarded for returning home. If anything you'll probably get executed or what was it? Eaten? To pass on your ability to a solider that's more useful. Face it, Annie. You can't hold onto your mission anymore."

Annie stared at him, her mouth moving slowly as she tried to argue back. She could say many things, she could say a lot of things to counter all his things, but she knew them to be false; she couldn't lie right now.

"I… You're… You're wrong!" She shook her head. "Once I'm healed. I'll show you!" She hissed and looked away like an impertinent child. It had always been the one thing keeping her going; returning home to see her father, their last hug before she left for the boat her last memory of him.

She had begun to doubt her own return to normal but when he had said it, it had came back from her worries.

She would be eaten.. just like the girl she'd eaten... she'd pass on the power.

"I'll go home." She mumbled to herself, almost as if convincing herself of it. She wanted to get him back for making her feel like this, for doubting herself. So she looked at the empty tray and simply flipped it with the edge of her finger, sending everything clattering to the floor.

Matias watched as Annie tried and failed to argue back, the childish turn of her head making his stern expression break into a sigh. So this was how it was going to go. At the very least he could say that she was acting a little closer to her age. When she flipped the tray and knocked the contents to the floor he raised an eyebrow and then shook his head. He didn't say anything in reaction and picked up the contents, the plate that luckily hadn't shattered placed on the tray alongside the glass that now had a noticeable crack. Once everything was gathered he took a look at Annie with a sigh and a pitiable stare.

"I'm going out to work. Don't do anything unnecessary." He walked out with that and an uncomfortable weight in his chest that he knew was going to be his cross to bear.

"I'm not exactly going to be able to get up and walk around am I?" she asked sarcastically, pointing at her foot where from just above the ankle down her foot and leg was missing, resulting in a steaming set of gas.

After everything was placed on the table he made his way outside with a look around. The Survey Corps and Military Police that'd hounded his home were completely gone. It spoke volumes of the change that was happening in these walls. He shook his head of the thoughts and proceeded on to the fruit-stand, the day from there going on without much of an issue. Although with how everything was beginning to change he noticed that the rich weren't nearly as prevalent in the shopping market. But the poor or at least those that'd been poor were still going strong as they started to gain more wealth.

"Looks like the balance of power has shifted everywhere." He muttered at one point as a whole bag was sold to the same small family that Annie had chastised him about.

When night finally came around and he returned back to his home he was happy to see that things were still the same.

"Good. Annie has kept a low profile." When he stepped into his home, the officer was quick to announce his presence with a holler of Annie's name. He didn't expect anything in return, but it was still important for her to know that he was the one entering the home. From there he steadily began to prepare dinner, a piece of steak with some potatoes and green beans. It took him about an hour and a half to finish the food, but once he was done the food was quickly placed on a tray.

This time rather then bring a simple glass of water he put some juice in a mug that'd be a little harder to break. He went upstairs with all this food in hand and then slowly pushed open the door to his bedroom with a slow push inside.

"Annie. I've brought some dinner. How are you recovering?"

Annie had spent the time he was gone sulking for a while, then when she was sure that he was gone, she attempted to get out of the bed. It ended in failure as she face planted into the floor. Groaning and swearing the life of every one inside the wall, Annie crawled around the room before giving up and going back to bed; realising she couldn't get back into the bed.

He would find her sat up against the wooden leg and watching the clouds outside the window. She had been still dressed in her torn uniform from the day she had been found by him on his door step.

However she had thrown this uniform off herself and sat in her underwear, not even bothering to hide herself as he came in. "Just put it by the door." She sighed and rubbed at the stump of her arm with her remaining hand.

"You know this hurts a lot? Right? It looks so easy, to just regenerate a limb, but its constantly hurting, like a fire burning against my skin. They taught me how to regenerate single things first. It was how I killed the famous Levi's Squad" Annie turned to face him.

"They took out my eyes to blind me, then tried to cut my arms down when I blocked myself against a tree. I regenerated one eye and bit one in half when he came at my neck," She grinned at him; it was obvious what she was doing, she was trying to make him get angry again. It was all she could do when helpless like this.

"I then stomped out the ginger one, oh how she screamed, it was almost pleasurable. 'How did she heal her eye... ' " Annie mimicked the cry and laughed softly to herself. "Then the other one, he actually had some balls, he tried to get my nape but I hardened my skin. He didn't even realise as I smashed him with a kick." Annie grinned triumphantly.

"I would have been wet as a girl on her wedding night if I was in my human form" She laughed, trying to just say anything to get at him.

The very first thing that Matias noticed upon noticing Annie leaning against the wooden leg of his bed was the simple fact she was in her underwear. His entire expression stiffened and then morphed into a grimace as he put the tray by the door. Even though her clothing had been in a horrible state, her underwear wasn't much better and made the state of her body even harder to look at. Luckily he had been prepared to deal with this and turned around, only to stop as Annie began going on about the pain in her stump.

He completely stopped in place as she described everything that'd happened in her battle with the deceased Levi squad, the mention of the "ginger one" spiking a little bit of aggression in his stomach. Even though he had lost contact with her, Petra had been an old friend of his sister and to learn that she died as brutally as she did only managed to strike a sore chord with him. By the time she was done it might seem like that he was actually about to give into her taunts, but instead all he did was leave.

When he came back to the room, the man would be holding fresh clothes complete with a new pair of underwear. He'd place it beside the food in a neat pile and then look at Annie with a calm level stare.

"Before I joined the military police, I was part of the survey corps with my sister despite our father's persistence that we join the military police. Honestly I was against it as well, but my sister was headstrong and stubborn and pushed me into doing my best alongside her. For awhile the work we put in paid off well, we killed titans and came back to the walls as heroes. But like all good things it came to an end with my sister getting devoured to save my life and my father disowning me despite accepting my resignation into the military police. Something that was only possible though the corruption that garrison had." Looking back down at the tray and clothes, the officer releases a sigh and picks them both up. He brings them to Annie and sets them down in front of her.

"Through my cowardice and isolation in this unit, I realised that my sister had died a miserable agonising death for a cause that she believed in. The people that she believed in. So telling me, Annie that you all these people died terrible deaths won't anger me. Because I know that their deaths are what helped get humanity to where they are now. So drop the whole act, Annie. It's pathetic." He got up with that and left the room, moving downstairs to get his own dinner started.


	11. Chapter 11 Advances

_~ Advances ~_

Listening to him speak about his past, about his sisters death, Annie did not say anything, she looked to the side and looked like she paid no heed to his words. When he finally left, she began to eat her meal.

Annie would sit on the floor, unable to get back on the bed until her foot healed; that would be another day or two, at the moment it was just her ankle stub.

All dinner ended up doing was adding stress to the already stressed military man. He ran a hand through his black hair as he put his dishes in the sink, green eyes squeezing shut as he released an agitated groan. Why was he doing this? Annie wasn't a nice girl and she wasn't particularly accommodating when it came to being a good disabled guest.

At this point it made more sense to hand her over to Erwin and the survey corps, sure she'd hate him and be irreversibly lose hope in the human spirit but she'd be out of his hair.

"Ha. That'd be the SMART thing to do." He chuckled at his own comment and then shook his head as his tired green eyes started at his reflection. No. He can't do that, his own twisted personal feelings spurred by his own fear of isolation wasn't going to let him do that. Not to mention he was somewhat attracted to this pain in the ass through a mixture of what he had to guess was hormones and the fact it has been awhile.

"When this is all over maybe I can manage a house call." The man muttered with a smirk as he walked back up his staircase and entered the room his disabled partner was sitting in. He walked over the room to grab the empty tray with a squeeze of his temples that told of his exhaustion with the day and the week in general; his eyes beginning to droop as he yawned.

Annie looked at him, still wearing the same underwear she wore for the past few days since she came downstairs before her attempted capture.

"I can't dress myself." She explained, not looking at him. She did not want to show any weakness but there was one right there. With only one arm fully able to be used and the other a stub above the elbow and with her leg in a state, she could take off her underware but not put it back on.

"I cannot get on the bed either. You will have to dress me." Finally looking at him with a stare that stated without words 'I only ask this because I cannot do it myself, and I would not ask if I couldn't. Don't enjoy this'

His eyes snapped open the moment that Annie mentioned she couldn't get dressed and then continued to say that he would have to do it. He met her stare with an owlish blink that turned into an annoyed squint to match his scowl, his head tilting downwards to rest in his palm. He didn't say anything as his face buried itself in his palm, but his heavy sigh as he reached down to pick up Annie said it all.

The bra she wore was not a normal womans bra, it was one which the Military used, like a sports bra mixed with a binder, it kept the breasts firmly against the chest to stop any movement during 3DM gear use.

He put her on the bed and took a seat on it with his knees propping him up, his hands quickly going to work in undoing the sports bra. It was unfastened quickly and then tossed to the side, the sweat that covered his hands bringing a grimace to his face. It'd only deepen as he caught sight of her slender back completely drenched in the same perspiration that'd been building.

She would raise her hands for him to unfasten the bra at the back then lift it above her head, a red flush on her face turning her as crimson as blood. Of course as a young girl she'd filled out nicely, Military food let a girl not go hungry or underfed, perky breasts stared at him with her pale white scar-less skin showing that her Titan healing powers could keep her pristine and perfect.

Laying back on the bed, she lifted both legs up, one full and the other ending at the ankle in a slightly smoking stump. Her underwear was a standard white panties, not crisp white anymore after almost a week and a half of wear.

Annie's face was looking to the side and avoiding his own gaze, she was as embarrassed by this as he was, maybe more.

It seemed that the girl had taken some care in her nether regions, even though she seemed uncaring about anyone else; she was still human and had human desires which had led her to one night shaving herself and leaving a V of blonde hair. After that she just kept it like that, 'just in case' of course.

She would need cleaning of course, she had not washed in a while and she could do this herself but she had stated before they started "You can wash me down too, if you wish. I need to be washed anyway"

She would open her legs for him to wipe her with the towel, almost like a child being cleaned. Damn this was embarrassing but it had some exhilaration in her heart, in her stomach.

"Make this a little easier for me and help me wash you down." He wouldn't turn to Annie with his command and merely turn his attention to washing her legs.

His eyes whether he liked it or not would take in the milky whiteness of her skin that was steadily cleansed by the cloth covered in soap and water. He could feel heat crawl along his spine and ignored the sensation as he cleansed the inner thigh and then moved onto the sensitive neither region. He was quick to cleanse this part of her body and even quicker to glance at her as she asked about his experience in this area.

"You ever… done this with anyone else?" Annie would ask, finally looking at him, legs wide and sprayed out on the bed in front of him.

"Do I have a lot of experience cleaning titan-shifters with smoking limbs? No." His response was said with a hint of a smirk as his clothe went along her stomach. "But I'll admit that I have had my fair share of women from time to time." He'd put his clothe in the bucket and then run his wrist across his forehead that'd begun to perspire.

"Why do you ask? Don't tell me you're interested in the enemy race or whatever." He teased as he went to the pile of clothing on the ground, a pair of black panties picked up and stared at with a small sigh; he shouldn't have grabbed the first thing he saw.

His hands moved her legs upwards and then slide the panties on with ease, the matching black bra picked up from the pile next. Rather then put it on immediately, the exhausted man makes sure to clean the curve of the young woman's back with the clothe to make sure she's at least somewhat clean. Once that's done the bra is clipped on and the girl is picked up and placed back on the ground.

He's quick to change the sheets on the bed and then crumple them up, the new light blue ones put on with ease. His hands put themselves on his hips to inspect his work, one actually unbuttoning the top of his shirt to reveal a little muscle as he runs his hand around the back of his neck. "Alright." He looks down to Annie and is quick to pick her up and place her back on the bed. The bedsheets are gathered underneath an armpit and the tray is picked up in one hand, his attention falling on the newly clothed girl with a raised brow.

"Do you need anything else, Annie?"


	12. Chapter 12 - Honesty

_~ Honesty ~_

Annie had watched him carefully as he lifted her off the bed, even as she tried to entice him. Back on the bed, she looked at him with a glare. Obviously annoyed her little trick did not work.

"What is your problem? A girl is in your bed, naked and you simply re-dress me, make the bed and then ask me if I need anything else?" Annie crawled to the end of the bed and glared at him. "I'm right here at your mercy and you wont even try to take advantage of me? I mean, I freely just offered myself to you and you don't want that?" She looked confused.

Annie had tried pretty much everything to get something from him, to get his REAL reason why he was doing this with her, keeping her safe and hidden. She did not realise that he actually might want to keep her safe.

"Fuck me already!" She yelled, a little too loudly. "Slap me around a bit, punch me, yell at me for being a shifter! Anything. Why are you being so nice to me after I killed so many of your people.. your friends!" Annie yelled in annoyance

Matias stared at Annie with an unflinching stare as she questioned him for not taking advantage of her. As she continued to rant at him and demand why he hadn't done a single act that could be considered violent, the military officer grew that much more exhausted.

When she reached the end of her rant, he closed his eyes and released the longest sigh yet. "I should've expected this." He dropped the sheets on the ground and then knelt down onto the ground to put the tray on the ground where it would stay for the night.

Getting up on the bed with his legs crossed in front of the titan-shifter, green eyes watched her despite the prevalent exhaustion still holding that strong ire to them. "Annie. Do you know what I saw on the day that you crawled to my doorstep with missing limbs and a missing eye? I saw a scared girl, a subordinate and friend that I'd lived with for weeks. So I saved her."

His eyes lowered to the bed and the exhaustion in his expression begins to seep into his tone. "Since then I've learnt about plenty of secrets that I honestly didn't want to know. Endured headaches brought on by stress and the weight of my own betrayal. Honestly I thought that it'd drive me crazy but I held on because of what I saw and what I see now." He looks back up at Annie with that same sharpness he's shown time and time again in the face of her questions and accusations.

"I don't see a shifter or some monster. All I see is a young girl that's been given a responsibility to big for anyone to handle. Someone that can't trust a simple act of genuine sincerity because they've been raised to trust nobody." He moves his hands to her shoulders and scoots forward to close the distance between the two.

"Annie. You can trust me. You can relax around me. I'm on your side and… " He paused and smirked despite himself. "I think I always will be."

He was right, she did not trust anyone, she watched for people's reasons, looked out for their little cue's that would reveal their true intentions. She would lie to people, she would kill people just to get what she needed; to complete her mission.

When he told her he saw a scared girl, a 'friend'. She was actually speechless, she stared at him, still shaking from her outburst but she had started to shake a little more now he revealed all this to her. She actually began to cry, tears fell down her face as she continued to shake.

"No one's ever... called me... their friend." She mumbled quietly. "Or.. said anything... like that... Only my father.. said... something like that... to me.." She stammered as she stared at him, her single eye wide, tears falling down her face in thick streams.

For the first time since she left her home on the last day they were allowed to meet their family, she hugged someone.

Leaning in and hugging him, she held him tightly and just wanted to be held too, crying into his shoulder.

"I just want to go home" she whimpered almost silently, the young girl that never was peeking out a little.

Matias was momentarily stunned as Annie began to cry, but he was quick to recover as she began to open up about her father. He could only watch as she began to cry and when she hugged him he was quick to return it. His arms held her tight as she cried into his shoulder and when she whispered to him about the want to go home he was honestly a little speechless. It'd be heartless to deny her, but he couldn't lie about her situation either.

So with a heavy heart he simply ran his hand through her hair and slowly ran his hand in a circular motion along the small of her back.

"I know, Annie. When you get better we'll figure something out and..." He sucked in a breath and then spoke quietly. "If it doesn't work out, you'll always have a place here with me."

With that the embrace broke and the two were left staring at each other in silence. His green eyes starting at what he considered the true face of Annie Leonhart. To see who she really was for what felt like the first time sent surges of strong emotions through him. It made his heart beat faster than he wanted to admit and a little heat crawl underneath his skin; the sensation breaking the smile on his face. though he didn't frown and instead ran his hand along the back of his neck in a somewhat awkward fashion, the military officer even leaning a little back in his seat.

Honestly he didn't know what to say and the longer that he stared at her the more awkward things got for him. Not only were feelings that he'd tried hard to suppress trying to make their way to the surface but the girl's supple form in black lace underwear was starting to make certain urges come back to him.

If their was any a moment that he wanted Annie to say something it was definitely now. All he needed was an excuse to change the subject, so this moment between them wouldn't be ruined by something stupid.

Annie stared at him in silence, tears falling down her face as she continued to cry quietly as she tried to calm her heart.

The awkward silence set in, she felt his hand along her neck and playing with her hair, this was that moment right? The moment where two people are together and they start to kiss? She'd never done it before, never kissed anyone and never been in this sort of situation. She talked big but it was all a bluff.

Slowly she leaned forward, her full hand going to his cheek and rubbing it gently as she got closer, her face reaching up as she knelt on her knee's and lifted herself up to his face. Her lips met his, hers were cracked and dry but she replaced that awkwardness with enthusiasm.

She began to kiss him, rather sloppily, having never kissed anyone and only watched people do it. Her stump of an arm sat on his shoulder out of sight as she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled herself closer; pressing her underwear only body right against his.

The entire world seemed to slow as Annie leaned towards him, the man's mind coming to a complete stop and then whirling into overdrive as her hand touched his cheek. He could tell exactly what she was going to do and didn't move an inch as she pressed her cracked and dry lips against his own.

It was quite possible the worst kiss he'd ever had, the sloppiness and stump on his shoulder certainly not helping the situation. However he still didn't lean away and allowed her body to press against his own, his head on the verge of twisting to kiss back.

However, the stump on his shoulder served as a reminder on exactly what the younger girls condition was. So he in a move that his mind approved and body disapproved slowly pushed Annie away with his hands on her shoulders.

"Did I do it wrong? Was I not supposed to do that?"

Her question made him sigh, but rather then look upset he smiled and shook his head.

"No. That was… fine, but I think we should wait to continue… this, until you've gotten…" His hand would gesture to the missing foot, stump still on his shoulder, and missing eye.

"These back in order. Then we'll continue." Embarrassed didn't even begin to describe how the now exhausted physically and emotionally male felt. But he still continued to stay upbeat and much like he'd been the first time they had ever met he decided to give his best smile.

"So get some sleep and get better. I'll see you in the morning." He slowly let go of Annie and got up to leave but just as he had turned around an impulse him; one that couldn't go ignored. Quicker than Annie could even expect he grabbed her shoulders and pressed their lips together in a kiss. It was quick, but unlike her attempt it wasn't sloppy as in the short time their lips were together she'd be able to taste and truly feel the softness of his lips.

"Sweet dreams, Annie." He playfully winked and then quickly made his way out of the bedroom with the tray in hand. The covers could wait another day. He shut the light on the way out, but made sure to aim a smile in Annie's direction before heading downstairs to clean up the kitchen for the night.

After that was done he went upstairs and much like he'd been doing with the military police and survey corps off their backs went to sleep in the guest room. The next morning he awoke completely refreshed and went through his normal routine without a care in the world. It wasn't until he was brining some fresh fruit and water up to Annie that the events of last night came back to him.

He stopped in front of her door and took a moment to stare at his clothing that consisted of some simple sweatpants and a white t-shirt. He had been thinking about going to work after delivering breakfast, but with the memory of his promise prevalent in his mind he had a feeling that work was going to get skipped.

"Takeo probably wouldn't mind anyways. Hell he'd congratulate me. Pervert." He muttered as he opened the door to take a look at how Annie was doing on this beautiful morning.


	13. Chapter 13 - Outside

_~ Outside ~_

When he parted the kiss and told her that they should wait, she nodded, disappointed but knowing he was right. She had been about to turn to lay down on the bed when he kissed her. Oh how the kiss felt on her lips!

Annie's back arched as she tried to quickly press herself into his body, eye closed and her hand trying to go for his cheek but he parted quickly, leaving the girl making kissing motions with her mouth until she opened her eye.

Watching him leave, she stayed knelt on the edge of the bed for a little while, hoping he would come back but he did not. Laying back on the bed, she ran three fingers over her lips and smiled softly; so this was what it felt like to be kissed, she liked it. She wanted more.

Maybe this guy wasn't an enemy, maybe he was different to everyone she'd seen. She had noted it over their time together but she had always seen him as 'one of them', one of her lost people who needed to be killed. She had imagined the day when the invasion came and she, charging through the streets in her Titan form, killing and butchering the people...

She had seen him in her dream, she had killed him in many different ways but now, she felt guilty for that. He was a genuine nice person. She did not want him to die.

However, he had left her unsaited and she did not know the name of this feeling, however she knew how to fix it. From her room, Matias would hear quiet murmuring moans and squeaking of the bed as Annie 'calmed herself'. He'd even catch the briefest "oh Matias!" s her whimpering moan reached a high point before silence.

The next morning, Annie was dressed and stood by the window, hidden out of sight by her training but she was watching everyone outside. It had been a weeks since she'd been outside, she wanted to go out. She hadn't even opened the window in case someone heard her or saw her.

Her foot was back now, her arm and eye were still missing but that could be easily covered with a bandage over her face and a long sleeve shirt. There were still hundreds of injured and maimed people from her attack so she would not look out of place if she did go out undercover.

"Morning." She smiled softly at Matias, a certain change in her mood, she never really smiled like this. "Do you think... we can go out today?" She asked nervously, knowing his answer already but wanting to ask and try.

A little relief and a little disappointment went through the older man as he looked at Annie. She was standing again but her arm was still gone and he had a feeling her eye was still gone too. It meant that he'd have to wait for them to heal before they could really go anywhere.

He shook his head at the thought of going out with her and as Annie turned to speak with him, he tried to ignored all the 'noises' he'd heard the previous night popping back up in his mind. Though they came back as she softly smiled at him, the sight he'd never seen before jump starting his heartbeat.

She looked completely different and beautiful when she smiled.

It took him a moment to respond to her question as a result, the tray he'd been holding put down before he walked over to Annie.

"Sorry I don't think so. I know that you might think your wounds will help you blend in but those people out there know each other by appearance, someone new with wounds as bad as those will stick out. Not to mention once your wounds heal you won't be able to go out at all since normal people can't regenerate. However with all that said!"

He smiled and pointed to his own hair. "I think that once your eye and arm have returned, we can give you a little makeover with a new haircut. Also!" He moved his hand to his hip as his other hand pointed over his shoulder.

"If you want we can go to the garden on the roof. It might not be much, but you can get some fresh air and sun. How does that sound? Good?"

Annie sighed, knowing she wouldn't be able to go out today made the smile disappear from her face, it was a brief moment that it had appeared and it had been crushed by her hopes of at least going out around the shops for an hour or so. Just to get some fresh air.

However, going on to the roof was the best she would get so she would take it.

"Sure. I guess." She turned back to the window and closed it gently with her one hand, sitting on the bed and staring at the floor. She had considered cutting her hair, it would help her blend in and hide but she liked her style; she'd kept this for years; it reminded her of her heritage.

Annie decided right there and then that tonight when he left, she was going to go out for a bit. Screw him not letting her out.

Matias watched Annie's smile and hopes literally shatter with a blank expression that turned into a flat grimace. His shoulder sagged and he sighed as his attention fell to the ground and a couple of different ideas ran through his head.

He did have a jacket with a hood and they could make the arm look like it had a cast on it, not to mention the eye wasn't that hard to explain if she wore a bandage.

"Fine you win. We'll go out." He said grabbing at his hair, running through it violently and then releasing a long sigh. His eyes fell on her with a smaller smile and a hand on his hip. "You're lucky that I like seeing you smile."

Matias turned around and then left the room for a brief moment before coming back with a hooded coat and some bandages along with the things to make a fake cast.

"Alright, here's the deal. We're only going to stay in this neighbourhood and possibly go shopping. I don't want to even risk running into someone in the Military Police or Gods help us Survey Corps. Also…" He crossed his arms over his chest and raised a brow as he stared at her hair.

"Don't cut your hair or anything just yet but do something a little unexpected like let it down. If someone sees you from afar with the hood down you'll have a better chance of not getting caught without the little top knot at the back."

Annie looked up as he said they were going out, standing up she walked over and took the jacket off him.

"Don't worry, if I get caught, I can run, they wont catch me or I can kill them." She suggested. "Worse case scenario I shift and make a run for the walls again. I'm not fully healed but I can make it to the second wall, then from there I'm only having to hide from Titans." Annie explained to him as she put on the fake cast and hid it in the sleeve of her jacket, pulling up the hood and making sure she was hidden from view. She then applied the bandage over her face hiding her empty eye socket with a believable reason of 'it's hurt and needs to be kept covered'.

By the time he was ready to go, she was stood by the door waiting, a soft smile on her face, almost like a dog waiting to go out for it first walk of the weekend.

Outside she kept close to him, she had liked to go to specific stores and shop when she was free to do so but now half of them were destroyed or were out of business thanks to the damage she and Eren wrecked. There were still a couple of wanted posters for her on the wall which she made a sly comment of 'They drew my face all wrong. My nose isn't that crooked.' She chuckled softly at her slight joke.

She did not try to run away nor did she try to flee and instead kept close to him.


	14. Chapter 14 - Mistaken Intentions

_~ Mistaken Intention's ~_

The moment that Annie mentioned that she would shift and make a run for the walls, the black-haired male felt his heart lurch in his chest and regret settle in him. He had thought that Annie had changed with the moment they had last night but she still seemed to be cold and callous at her core.

This might have been a mistake.

Matias didn't have time to do anymore then think on it as before he even knew it the two were out the door. He constantly looked at Annie to make sure that the disguise was as good as it should be and was satisfied with it as they headed out; heart skipping a beat as she smiled again.

Ugh. He was becoming an absolute mess.

The stores that had been destroyed in the battle with Eren were slowly coming back. The owners that had survived steadily rebuilt with the help of neighbours. Maybe he'd take Annie there once they came back from the walk.

As the two noticed the old wanted posters he felt his blood run cold and lips purse into a thin frown. Even with Annie's jokes he wasn't feeling very good with what the two were trying to pull. They really should leave and go back home. He looked at Annie to say as such and was prepared to even force her, but stopped dead as he notices a military officer that he recognised approaching them.

"Annie. Go back home and don't do anything unnecessary." He quickly muttered, pushing the younger girl back as he approaches the military officer that slowly turned their attention towards him. The man's expression brightened and then scrunched up in confusion.

It looked like he didn't remember him. "Thomas. It's Matias." Thomas immediately blinked in surprise before grinning at the the retired military officer.

"Hey man. Been awhile eh? I heard that you retired from the squad. Is that right?"

"Yeah. It wasn't for me. Even with all the perks and what-not. I feel like I do better with the people anyways." The other military officer nodded in understanding and Matias knew that his best chance to leave was now. He opened his mouth to suggest some sort of reunion later, but much like most things in his life lately, lost the chance in an instant.

"Hey! Is that you, Matias?" Another military officer came up with hearty wave and in that moment Matias knew that he was about to get stuck here for awhile. Hopefully Annie had got home without a problem or at the very least still looking around as discretely as possible.

As long as she was safe and not doing anything reckless. That was what he wished in his heart would happen.

Walking back home when Matias told her to, Annie sighed as she walked down the road and alley's to the house. She carried a few bags of clothes and supplies they'd bought, she did need clothes and feminine products; Matias could not go out and buy them without some sort of suspicion; if anyone was still watching him of course.

She walked in and put the stuff in his bedroom, now her bedroom as of late. Watching over the streets outside through the window, he saw Matias nearby, talking to several military officers.

A frown creased her forehead as she watched him talk to them. So this was how it was. She offered to fuck him the night before, he had spoken of trusting him and all that malarkey.

She actually had feelings for this guy.

She turned and pushed her new and old clothes into the backpacks before moving to a window that led into a back alley. She clambered out and using her superior skills, she jumped from wall to wall until she landed on the floor, sliding down the wall with outstretched legs either side of her.

That was when she took off running, jogging through the streets. She would attempt to make it to the gatehouse and pass through, hopefully the Garrison and Military Police were lax enough to let her through without papers.

Somehow two military police acquaintances became seven by some terrible stroke of luck. Not only that but they wanted to come to his house to laze around and get away from their responsibilities. They were not taking no for an answer either. As the eight approached his home, Matias knew that he had to think of some excuse to avoid them getting into his house.

His mind searched and searched until it came upon last nights memories, one in particular giving him a brilliant idea.

"Wait Wait! Guys. I just remembered that my girl wanted me home early. It's our anniversary and all that." The seven military officers look at the former with stupefied expressions that turn into skeptically ones, the one that'd started this whole mess approaching him with a hand on his hip and an eyebrow raised. Somehow two mil

"You mean to tell me that the prim and proper gentlemen got a girlfriend during his time in the Military Police?" Taking the scepticism into his plan, the challenged man crosses his arms over his chest and tilted his posture a little bit.

"What? I'm a stylish and handsome mother fucker too. I can pick up a chick unlike you lot." The other men scoffed in response and then gave a grin in acceptance. One of them took a step forward and pat their friend on the shoulder.

"Fine you win. You're off the hook this time. Heh. You know for awhile we thought that you were getting it on with that Annie chick." Matias felt his heart beat quicken but kept his casual front in check as he smirked.

"Pffft. Right. That girl? Really?"

"That's what I said. Anyways we'll see you around." The military officers gave a half arsed salute and the others followed suit with a lewd gesture or two. He did his best to ignore them but his mind went go back to the sensations that'd had awoken in him.

His head shook them away as he reminded his mind that the girl that he may have feelings for is paraplegic. That didn't stop her from popping back in his mind again.

"I hope Annie isn't mad. I probably should've made sure about the Military Police routes before we went outside." Matias mumbled as he opened the door and was greeted with the sight of an empty room.

Shock went through him and then something akin to betrayal that he didn't let linger in his heart set in as he looked around the room. It didn't take him long to figure out that she'd left after entering the room, but he couldn't figure out why she'd suddenly leave until a thought occurred to him.

"She wanted to go home..." Perhaps the previous night between the two had been a heat of the moment thing? Hormones playing tricks on him. That made sense. She didn't really care about him as much as she needed to use him. Anger started to trickle into his emotions, he smashed his fist on the wall to let it out and refocus on what really mattered. If Annie choose to leave then she's happy and he can return to a normal life.

"That's what matters. Her happiness and my peace of mind." He straightens up with the thought and nods his head to confirm his thoughts, the throbbing in his heart and shaking in his hands ignored.

This was for the best.

Standing at the gatehouse, Annie watched as the soldiers stood checking passports; they were looking for the rogue Survey Corp members but could easily catch her if she did not have passport here in the Capital.

"Shit!" She grumbled to herself and looked back the way she came, she could go back, but what if he betrayed her. What if…

No… He didn't betray her, he'd just been talking to them. How stupid could she be. She began to walk back to the house, taking the back alley's, she could lie to him and tell him she had tried to hide somewhere.

"Hey!" A female voice called out and Annie turned to see a girl running towards her; taking off in a dash, Annie turned several corners and hid in the alley. She pulled the hood up and hid herself from view.

The girl ran by, she wore a Military Police uniform. Annie recognised her. The girl seemed to pause at the head of the dead end alley Annie had hid herself in.

"Shit!" She mumbled again, taking the boot knife from her boot and readying it.

"Annie?" The girl jumped as Annie came out of cover, the knife hidden behind her hand.

"Yea, it's me." She replied softly.

"I thought you were dead, I remember the others saying some crazy shit about you." The girl smiled softly, walking over and hugging Annie. Annie was shocked for a moment, she did not hug anyone and here was this girl doing it to her? She wanted to push her away but something in her chest caught her from doing it.

"Why are you working for the MP's? I thought you were Garrison?" Annie spoke to the girl, whom began to explain that she'd been drafted in to help with the numbers once the two titans had fought previously.

"That was when they said you died, the MP's were saying you were killed in the attack but here you are?! Why did you not come back? What happened to your face?" The girl asked softly, reaching out and pushing some of Annie's hair back to reveal the bandage over her eye.

"I got hurt. Someone's been looking after me, the MP's… they… they want me for something I did not do." She lied, the girl seemed to believe her, Annie did not realise it yet but the girl actually liked Annie.

"I can help you Annie, if you... want me to?" She asked nervously, Annie gripped the knife tightly, she could kill this girl and leave her in the alley. She could easily do it.

"Sure, but you got to keep it secret okay?" Annie asked, the girl nodded and looked around.

The window on the lowest floor of Matias' house cracked open and Annie climbed in, the girl following a few seconds later. When Matias came in to see her, they were stood in the kitchen at the back of the house.

"Before you get angry…" Annie began. "I was not running away…" She lied, dropping her bag in a hiding place before he had came in. She still wore the hood and long jacket from earlier.

"This is Tona, she is a friend from training. She recognised me and she wants to help me." Annie actually blushed, Matias could see it in her, she knew it; he knew she'd wanted to kill this girl but couldn't. She still could, right here in the kitchen. It would be a problem but she could kill the girl very easily.

But… she couldn't…

"Sir." The girl nodded and held out a hand. "I heard a few things about you sir, they say you're a… good officer… erm… was a good officer." The girl smiled nervously; she was very beautiful, red hair and tall, she looked too innocent to be in the military.


	15. Chapter 15 - Admittance

_~ Admittance ~_

Matias did not want to admit it but in the silence of the house he was starting to feel lonely and then pathetic because of that loneliness. Annie had wanted to go home, that was what was important here. 'Your feelings were just hormones!' That's what he said over and over to convince himself and over and over again he found that it didn't work.

'But what might is some alcohol.' He glumly thought on his way down to the kitchen from his rooftop garden where he heard the sound of a window opening. Matias was quick to check it out with a mixture of hope and dread in his heart, the idea that it could be Annie both exciting and scaring him. She could be coming back to see him again or be coming back because she's been forced to by a military officer.

As it turns out both were correct, the man's eyes widening as he stared at Tona and Annie.

He did not even have time to be angry as Annie blatantly lied to his face because now there was a much bigger problem.

This beautiful innocent girl knew about Annie.

A novice in these types of situations would probably assume that this was a good thing, the girl was on their side and was willing to work with them but he knew better than that. This girl was a problem because she was weak, weak enough to get asked a few questions too many and crack under the pressure.

Glancing at Annie, he could tell that she wanted nothing more than to kill this girl and get rid of the problem entirely. It honestly wasn't a bad idea and had he been a colder man probably would have went through with it but he wasn't that man. Matias ran a hand through his hair. He was going to have to be blunt about this.

"Listen, Tona. I know that you want to help Annie but I'm going to be very blunt. You shouldn't. In fact this whole, reunion, is something you should forget as soon as possible."

Tona looked shocked and hurt at the complete rebuttal to her help but the former military officer didn't stop nor allow her a chance to interject with her own opinion.

"Everything inside the walls is going haywire with the Survey Corps rebellion, the Garrison and Military police will be looking for any excuse they can find to get the people on their side. One such strategy will be finding..." He was about to say "Female Titan," but stopped as he looked at Annie. What if she didn't know? He turned back to Tona and decided to leave that bit out.

"…A fugitive like Annie. They'll use that leverage to put the people on their side and if they see you acting weird or coming around these parts. You'll risk exposing everyone. Do you understand?"

Tona responded by simply nodding rather pitifully and swallowing. "I understand. I'll pretend this never happened."

"Good. Now get out of here before someone notices you."

Shakily and looking to be on the verge of tears, Tona nodded and then looked at Annie with a glance before running out the door.

Matias watched her go and silently thanked the heavens above for allowing nobody to be outside his home at that moment. If anyone did see her behind his home they'd probably think there was a bad breakup. She probably wouldn't mention this either considering she did seem to be attached to Annie.

"I will see you around Tona" Annie smiled at her softly as the girl left. She bit her lip and turned to Matias.

"So why'd you run?" Matias turned to Annie with the question, the tension between the two rising as they stared at one another. "It must've been worth putting everyone in danger."

"You did not have to scare her like that. She was a… is a friend of mine." Annie spoke simply. "She is trustworthy, although stupid; she might be able to help."

"I did not run away. I am not some little girl running away from her father after an argument. I'm a warrior, I simply moved on." Crossing her arms, Annie looked at him firmly.

"My question to you is why did you stop to speak to those military police, them pointing in the direction of the house where I'm hiding." Annie stared back at him, glaring through her long fringe.

"I'm sure you'd love to get back into your place in the hierarchy by handing me over." Annie turned her head to the side and mumbled in a low tone, hoping he did not hear as she said it.

"…To think I was wanting to sleep with you".

"The problem is…" She turned to face him before he could comment on her mumbling. "...they're looking for the Survey Corp at the gates. I can't go that way without a passport and papers. Either I need to sneak through, which is hard enough because of the walls or steal a 3DM set and go over the walls." she suggested out loud.

"So I came back and ran into Tona." Annie explained. "I couldn't exactly tell her the truth could I?"

It was ridiculous how stupid and inexperienced Annie still was even AFTER getting caught. Stupid? You're going to trust someone that's stupid? It was unbelievable that she was even trying to argue that against him.

He was going to say as much until she stopped him with the talk about being a warrior and the single question. All time seemed to stop around him and his face blanked out, anything that was said after her confession like white noise. His anger slowly began to rise and bubble to the surface, expression crinkling into a stressed fury that she wouldn't be able to stop. He grabbed at her shoulders and pushed her against the wall near the table in the kitchen. It was ridiculous!

"Are you fucking kidding me, Annie? Are you SERIOUS?!" His voice was barely below a yell but it was just as intense as full on screaming.

"After saving you, nursing you back to health and then even taking you outside? You think that I'm trying to rat you out?! Annie. Those people wanted to come into this house and I LIED my way through it to successfully lead them away. But of course you didn't think about that. Just like you haven't bat a blind eye to trusting someone STUPID! Do you know what stupid people do, Annie?! They DON'T keep secrets!" His hands squeezed her shoulders even tighter.

"They tell people or they end up doing something worse! But whatever right? She's your friend. You trust her, right? More then me." Admitting all the anger and frustration in his voice, the sudden emotion of genuine hurt was heard. His hands that had been squeezing her shoulders released and the green eyes that'd been staring into her blue with an intense fury look down at the ground with a sudden exhaustion.

"Even though I've done nothing but worry about you. Kissed you and even fallen..." He bit his lip rather then actually finish his statement and closed his eyes. He released the younger girl and with a sigh took a seat on the chair with hunched posture.

"Do whatever you want for the rest of the night, Annie. I'll be here." His hands covered his face as he spoke, making his voice somewhat lessened but the exhaustion and raw emotion could still cleanly be heard.

Annie stared as he yelled at her, gripped her shoulder, she even whimpered as he pushed her back against the wall with enough force for her head to smack back against it. Staring at him with wide eyes as he yelled at her, she watched as he turned and sat down on the chair away from her. She was speechless, actually speechless.

Annie did not know what to do, should she go like he asked? Should she say something, argue back. He had said he 'even fallen…'. Did he almost say he'd fallen for her? Something in her chest hurt, she put her hand on her breast and squeezed to try and stop it from hurting, a physical pain in her chest.

"I'm sorry." She mumbled quietly, tears starting to dribble down her cheeks. "I'm sorry." She repeated, stepping forward, a shaking hand going to his shoulder as she walked up and placed it on his shoulder. It still shook as she stood there, one hand on his shoulder and the other holding her left breast tightly.

"I… I'm sorry." She repeated again, not knowing what else to say. Slowly going to her knee's as she looked up at him, sat in front of her, she took several deep breaths before speaking.

"I… I don't want to see you upset. It's my fault, my fault you are in this mess, and I… I don't know why I am feeling this. I think I like you but… I… It's more than that." She admitted. Looking away, down at the ground, Annie continued to cry.

"I just want to go home." She added almost childlike. "I want to see my father. My family. but I will never go home will I?" She asked him, finally looking at him. "They will kill me when I go back, to pass on the power. The MP's find me, I'm dead. The Survey Corps find me, I'm dead."

Her head fell on his lap, crying into it. "You're the only person I got left, please, don't be angry at me." Annie whimpered into his lap, breaking down just like he had, while hers was not in anger but sadness.


	16. Chapter 16 - Feelings

**NOTE**

* * *

 **DUE TO THE CONTENT OF THIS CHAPTER BEING OF A SEXUAL NATURE. I AM UNABLE TO POST IT TO THIS WEBSITE. IT IS AVAILABLE AT " _ARCHIVE OF OUR OWN"_ AND " _WATTPAD" ON MY PAGES THERE.._**

 **I APOLOGISE FOR THE HASSLE WITH THIS BUT I DO NOT WANT TO POST ANYTHING HERE THAT MAY BREAK THE T.O.S OF FF.**

 **CHAPTER 16, 17 AND 18 ARE THE SAME.**

 **CHAPTER 19 WILL CONTINUE AS NORMAL. IF YOU WISH TO VIEW THE CHAPTER, I WOULD RECOMMEND GOING TO ONE OF THE OTHER SITES FOR JUST THIS CHAPTER**


	17. Chapter 17 - Embrace

**NOTE**

* * *

 **DUE TO THE CONTENT OF THIS CHAPTER BEING OF A SEXUAL NATURE. I AM UNABLE TO POST IT TO THIS WEBSITE. IT IS AVAILABLE AT " _ARCHIVE OF OUR OWN"_ AND " _WATTPAD" ON MY PAGES THERE.._**

 **I APOLOGISE FOR THE HASSLE WITH THIS BUT I DO NOT WANT TO POST ANYTHING HERE THAT MAY BREAK THE T.O.S OF FF.**

 **CHAPTER 16, 17 AND 18 ARE THE SAME.**

 **CHAPTER 19 WILL CONTINUE AS NORMAL. IF YOU WISH TO VIEW THE CHAPTER, I WOULD RECOMMEND GOING TO ONE OF THE OTHER SITES FOR JUST THIS CHAPTER**


	18. Chapter 18 - Love

**NOTE**

* * *

 **DUE TO THE CONTENT OF THIS CHAPTER BEING OF A SEXUAL NATURE. I AM UNABLE TO POST IT TO THIS WEBSITE. IT IS AVAILABLE AT " _ARCHIVE OF OUR OWN"_ AND " _WATTPAD" ON MY PAGES THERE.._**

 **I APOLOGISE FOR THE HASSLE WITH THIS BUT I DO NOT WANT TO POST ANYTHING HERE THAT MAY BREAK THE T.O.S OF FF.**

 **CHAPTER 16, 17 AND 18 ARE THE SAME.**

 **CHAPTER 19 WILL CONTINUE AS NORMAL. IF YOU WISH TO VIEW THE CHAPTER, I WOULD RECOMMEND GOING TO ONE OF THE OTHER SITES FOR JUST THIS CHAPTER**


	19. Chapter 19 - New Look

_~ New Look ~_

In the bliss that he was experiencing it was hard for Matias to actually feel bad for accidentally making Annie swallow. Honestly as she complained much like a child would and looked at him in vague disgust he had the urge to laugh more than he did to apologise.

He did neither as he slowly leaned up and watched Annie run into the bathroom, a smile settling on his face. He looked to the stains that she'd left with her coughing and then his own member that was sticky with his release and saliva.

"I should probably clean up." His hand weaved through his black hair and slowly he slid out the bed, his feet landing somewhat shakily on the ground as a wave of exhaustion passed through him.

"Jeez. I forgot how exhausting this whole thing was." He muttered with a sigh and a walk over to the second smaller bathroom in his bedroom. It wasn't as well-equipped as the other with only a toilet and sink, but it was good enough for what he needed to do.

He quickly cleaned his limp member with a cloth and then upon walking out the small room immediately dug through his cupboard. His hands procured a pair of grey sweatpants that he immediately put on his hips and a change of purple sheets. He replaced the previous ones covered in stains and after flattening out this new one took a seat on the bed.

By the time that he was done with this, Annie walked out the shower with a towel around her neck and in his opinion a strange sense of fulfilment. He could guess why and smiled softly as she sat beside him on the edge of the bed, the way she was avoiding his "stain" getting a short chuckle out of him.

"I changed the sheets, Annie. You're in the clear." His chuckle only gets louder when she looks at the sheets and then awkwardly scoots a little closer to him, but then it stopped when she asks him about their relationship.

The shyness in the question and the bluntness create an effective combo that silences him and then got him to break out in real genuine laughter. It's loud and uncontrollable and an all around amazing sensation he hasn't felt in years, the reaction as strange and off-putting it may be to Annie being one that he needed after the stress that was the past few weeks.

When he calmed down to answer the question that she bravely asked him, the former military man moved his hand around her shoulder and brought the two of them that much closer.

"Sorry about that, Annie but as blunt as you are you aren't exactly wrong." His hand at her shoulder moved to the back of her head and gently brought her head to rest on his lap. He knew that she'll be a little off-put by the action and quickly worked to get rid of that by massaging her scalp.

His fingers slowly weaved through her blonde hair, nails occasionally scratching at her scalp in between gently playing with the golden strands.

"The only difference in our relationship should really be honesty. We don't need to keep secrets and we should have complete trust in one another, none of this "did he do this" or "did she do this" bullshit. Also..." His fingers trailed across her cheek in a smooth glide.

"It wouldn't hurt to show your cute and honest side a little more. It might earn you a reward or two from your Commanding Officer." He gave a playful smirk and wink as his hand continued to trail across her cheek and back into her hair.

When Matias had began to laugh uncontrollably, Annie's face turned hard and grim, almost snarling up at him as he laughed. When he finally did stop and began to stroke her head and laid her on his lap; she began to calm down a little, having been about to yell at him for laughing at her after what they did.

Simply staring up at him as he spoke, she let him play with her cheek and her hair.

"I will try to be honest." She admitted. She wasn't going to lie to him now.

"I've been taught all my life to lie. From living in the Ghetto's and avoiding the police and army, to the training for this mission. I've been told to lie and to do what I must to get the mission done. Now the mission is over. I failed." She looked down solemnly.

"I should actually kill myself or go out in a blaze of glory according to the mission specification." She explained to him. "But I don't want to. I want to stay with you. I wanted to go home but I know I can't. I want to stay with you. I never thought I would fall for someone here."

"There was Armin, I knew he had a crush on me, it was the reason I did not kill him when I was searching for Eren outside the second wall." She explained.

"I kind of liked him too." Annie admitted, looking up at him as she spoke.

"When he betrayed me, when he tried to trap me, I couldn't even kill him then either. I had a plan to kill you too." she told him without lying, he wanted honesty and he was getting it now.

"On the day I was going to finish my mission and infiltrate the palace, I was going to come into the bedroom, right here. I was going to either get you to fuck me like this or if that failed, I would have just slit your throat in your sleep." She looked away for a moment.

"But I messed up and got hurt, badly. You helped me back to healthy and I fell for you, even before you helped me. I did not realise what it was but now I do" Turning onto her side so she faced him, but was laid with her head on its side on his lap.

Closing her eyes she began to drift to sleep; exhaustion filling her body after their fun.

"I love you... Matias..." She sighed as she drifted off to sleep.

Matias was silent all throughout Annie's confession of who she is and what she's been through.

He softly smiled when she mentioned wanting to be with him, and even chuckled as she mentioned the crush that she had. It proved that even back then she was a human and not a monster as everyone claimed that she was.

He wasn't the least bit surprised when she mentioned that he was on her chopping block, the older man gently running through her hair to show his understanding in the confession. When she continued and eventually ended with a look to him he smiled and then watched her slowly drift to sleep.

"Love you too, Annie." He slowly moved her from his lap and then laid her on the mattress with a gentleness that he hoped wouldn't rouse her in the slightest. He made sure to put the covers over her and then took a seat on the bed with a stare at the ceiling and heavy sigh.

"Hope I'm doing right by you, sis."

Matias went to sleep later that night on the chair that he'd been sleeping on just because he didn't want to wake her. It made his sleep somewhat uncomfortable but he still woke up feeling refreshed compared to the rest of the week.

The next morning, Annie was up before Matias, when he came through the house to look for her, she was gone. Some clothes had disappeared and his wallet was gone too. No note, no nothing. She was gone.

Matias immediately looked to where Annie was sleeping and wasn't surprised that she was gone. His wallet was gone as well alongside with some clothes that he'd bought, the groggy male scratching the top of his head in a lazy manner.

"Should probably make breakfast." He muttered as he made his way into the bathroom and into the shower stall. His hand slowly turned the shower knobs and released the warm and cold water across his skin, the exhaustion that hazed his mind and hampered his reflexes ebbing away. He walked out feeling good and then got dressed in some black slacks and a white shirt before heading back downstairs.

"Oh shit. I forgot about this mess!" Matias muttered with a grimace, the "mess" that they'd made all over the ground and the table. He walked over to it with clear disgust and then slid a hand through his hair with an exasperated sigh.

"Guess I'll clean this up quick." His eyes turned to the sink and the single cloth that waited for him.

"And I've only got one choice. Great." He grabbed the single cloth and with some water via the sink got to work on cleaning up the mess. It was not an easy task or a likable one but was one that must be done all the same. A good house is a clean house as they say.

The cleaning and scrubbing took its time, the ragged nature of the cloth resulting in him having to take things slower then he'd like. Still it got done, his hands falling underneath the sink just as Annie came through the front door.

It was in the late afternoon when Annie came back, walking in slowly with a hood up, she would turn to face him and pull down the hood.

Annie looked completely different. Her long blonde hair that she had in the little pony tail was gone; the right hand side of her hair was shaved down to a thin blonde and her right side long and curving down her right side of her face. She wore lipstick, which was something she never did before, and make up! She looked so beautiful.

She wore new clothes too, and had some bags in her hands.

"I went out to shop. I hope you did not mind." She asked nervously. She wanted to surprise him with her new look, she wanted to be able to go out with him but if someone recognised her by her hairstyle or her look, she'd be straight to prison and he'd probably be execute for treason.

She put the bags down on the table and turned to him. "I went to the local barber and got my hair cut. I looked at all different styles but I liked this one. Then I went to get some new clothes, as we only had a few we bought together. If I'm going to stay here with you, then I need to have more clothes."

She did not mention the makeup, although it was clear why she did it, she wanted to look pretty for Matias. Before she did not care about her looks because she was in the Military, and more importantly she was on a mission to find her target and bring them back. Not look pretty for some guy.

"Well look who…" What was going to be a sarcastic greeting died in the taller man's throat with a single look at Annie's new appearance.

The haircut was the first thing that he noticed, the style not quite his preference, but he could see the appeal considering it gave her a new look and kept up the bad ass aura that she seemed to like having. It would probably be cute to see her blush with that look as well, so that was an added bonus as well.

Then there was the lipstick and make up. He was almost positive that she'd never worn anything like that before and it didn't show in the least. She was positively stunning and a part of him wanted to undo all the work he'd done in cleaning the kitchen right then and there. He relented with the more rational part of his brain, his lips curving into a smile as she continued to explain her actions in this stiff manner that had him almost rolling his eyes.

Even with everything they'd done she still had this need to explain everything to him with an alibi and excuse behind it.

"Good grief." He muttered as his hand roped around her waist and brought her into a quick passionate kiss to silence her nerves.

"You look beautiful and I don't mind, although I'd like a note next time." He spoke gently as his thumb ran across the bottom of her lip.

"I like the lipstick and makeup by the way. You should keep it." He gave another quick peck to her lips and then turned back to the newly cleaned kitchen, an idea coming to mind and a smirk on his face.

"Oi, Annie. Want to do some cooking with me? I haven't started breakfast or lunch and I'm guessing that you haven't eaten, yeah?"


End file.
